Warriors of Aoshima: Call of the Moon
by Fireworksafterdawn
Summary: There is an island near Japan called Aoshima, or otherwise known as "The Cat Island", An island teeming with cats and the possibility of Clans living in the forest near the twolegplace. Bamboostep, the deputy of HavenClan has found a tiny kit in the hollow of a cut open bamboo stalk. He decides to take her to the Clan and name her Moonkit. However, the moon is calling to her...
1. Daughter of the Moon & Allegiances

HavenClan

Leader: Gullstar-white she-cat with black markings

Deputy: Bamboostep-slender grey tabby tom

Medicine Cat: Seedthorn-pale brown tabby tom

Warriors: Minnowfin-large dark grey mottled tom

Swallowheart-gray and white tabby tom

Apprentice, Acornpaw

Sparrowfeather-brown tabby she-cat

Foxwatcher-russet tom

Oakwish-brown she-cat

Stonedust-thick-furred grey tom

Iceflank-pale gray tom

Apprentice, Softpaw

Goldenfoot-large golden tabby tom

Frostflurry-white she-cat

Apprentice, Brookpaw

Apprentices: Softpaw-small white she-cat

Brookpaw-gray tabby she-cat

Acornpaw-brown mottled tom

Queens: Quietweed-pale ginger she-cat

Eveningfern-black she-cat

Kits: Fishkit-mottled grey tom-kit

Fruitkit-ginger tabby she-kit

Smokekit-dark grey tom-kit

Moonkit-pale silver tabby she-kit with bright blue eyes

Elders: Rubbleflight-large gray mottled tom

Softbranch-dark brown tabby she-cat

Chapter 1

Bamboostep couldn't find a reason to bring himself to hunt for his Clan. The loss of his recent mate was simply too much for him. He looked up at the dark sky, mourning for the loss of innocence. His mate, sweet, sweet, Littleheart. Her heart was born weak, and with her kits, they all died.

He looked down the cliffs, seeing the tourmaline waters of the ocean lap at spiked rocks. He swallowed hard. As deputy, what else was there for him? Wait to watch as his leader, Gullstar withered away to eventually die? He shook his head. Bamboostep was sick and tired of watching cats die. To stop this pain, he'd have to die himself.

The waters looked so tempting, like a gentle and tame call from Littleheart. It was almost like she was in there, waiting for him. He took another step, looking down as a small pebble kicked off the ledge into the waters.

He shut his eyes, ready to leap. But just before he could jump off, he heard a soft mew. He opened his eyes. Bamboostep realized that he was hearing a kitten's mew. He turned around and let his ears guide him. He walked through the small patch of bamboo, the weak mewling growing louder until it thundered in his ears.

The forest was almost completely silent. He pricked his ears and gazed ahead with his green eyes to see a large bamboo stalk cut down to his chin-length. He cautiously stepped forward. Carefully, he peered into the hollow stalk to see a tiny, silvery white tabby kitten with shut eyes, mewling.

His heart soared. A kitten? Who would leave such a tiny kitten in a stalk all alone? Perhaps one of the kittypets in the fishing twolegplace? No, that place was crawling with cats, no reason to abandon their kits. And if so, why only one?

But he batted away those questions. He could only stare down. At last, he brought a grey paw to enter the stalk and gently prod at the kitten, eliciting another meow from her. She finally looked up and weakly opened her eyes, her bright, pale blue eyes. It shone with the same brilliance as the moon sailing high above.

She was beautiful.

Suddenly, Bamboostep felt as though life was worth living again. Gullstar couldn't say no to a kitten. With Littleheart and her kits' death, Bamboostep's leader would be a mouse-brained fool to deny it. There's always Quietweed, who was still nursing Fishkit, Fruitkit, and Smokekit, she must have plenty of milk to spare.

He gently poked at the kitten again, this time she didn't meow. She only stared up at Bamboostep with large, unblinking blue eyes. Her fur was so soft, soft as a chick's down feathers. His instincts came over him. With a swift movement, Bamboostep lurched down and gently grasped the kitten's scruff. He looked around and began to trot through the forest back to HavenClan.

He entered through the fern tunnel, seeds sticking to his pelt. Bamboostep looked up to see the Clan staring at him as well as the tiny kitten in his jaws. He suddenly felt his fur grow hot. He didn't think about how well received the kit would be.

A large white and black she-cat stepped through her den made of bamboo and reed stalks. She blinked her glittering blue eyes at the tiny scrap of silver fur. "What is it?" Gullstar asked her deputy calmly.

Bamboostep sat down and set the kit between his paws, curling it behind his tail to prevent her from wandering off. He glanced down at her. "I… It's a kit. I found it while taking a walk outside."

"A kit, hm?" Asked one of the senior warriors suspiciously. Iceflank sniffed the kit and growled. "I smell brine of it. You found her near the cliffs or the sea, very likely." He glared up at the deputy with cold eyes. "How strange was it that you find a kit smelling of brine so close to MortalClan's border. And that she's come out of nowhere?"

"What are you implying, Iceflank?" Asked Gullstar curiously.

Iceflank hissed and flicked back his ears. "I'm just wondering what if your so-trusted deputy had an affair?"

Bamboostep fought hard to keep his hackles flattened. He couldn't resist the urge to lash his tail against the ground, however. He twitched an ear in annoyance. "I would never betray my Clan, Iceflank. I found a kit in a half-cut, hollowed out bamboo stalk near the cliffs. Does she look anything like me or anyone in MortalClan for that matter?"

Iceflank huffed and looked away. Bamboostep was correct. The kit wasn't as lean and scrawny as the deputy was. Her fur was not the same shade of grey either, rather it was a glinting silver caught in the waxing moonlight.

The nursery walls shuddered and came out Quietweed, her kits tumbling after her. She hushed them and sent them crawling back into the den. The ginger queen stepped forward and sniffed the bundle of fur. She twitched the tip of her tail. "Perhaps I could take her in."

Minnowfin, her mate, stood up. "You already have three kits, love! You can't possibly take care of one more. You don't have enough milk."

She glanced at her mate. "I'm sure that Seedthorn can give me a few herbs to help with that." The queen looked back down at the kit. She was about to lick the kitten, but then she stopped herself. Quietweed looked up at Bamboostep. "May I?"

"Of course." The tom replied.

Quietweed proceeded to lick the kitten to warm her up from the newleaf chill.

Gullstar examined this with a patient gaze. "We cannot turn away this kit. I can accept her into the Clan, but she needs a name."

Quietweed turned to Bamboostep. "You found her, after all." She mewed. "Finder names the kit."

Bamboostep's ears pricked. He crouched low, staring at the kitten's fur that glinted a glittering silver in the soft moonlight. He couldn't think of anything more fitting. He sat up and purred. "Moonkit."

"That's a lovely name." purred another queen from the nursery. A black she-cat with a large, bulging belly, ready to burst with kits at any moment.

Gullstar stood tall, moonlight reflecting white off of her whiskers. "Then it is settled. Moonkit shall join HavenClan as one of us. Bamboostep, you are to take responsibility for her."

The tom dipped his head. "I understand, Gullstar."

Bamboostep felt his paws tingle with anticipation. After StarClan had taken away his mate and fresh kits, he was gifted with a new life. Moonkit was the most beautiful gift from StarClan any cat could have ever known, and Bamboostep was blessed enough to find her first. I swear to be a good father to you, Moonkit.


	2. Lost Mothers

Chapter 2

Moonkit scampered after Smokekit, her denmate who was playing with a small branch of sugarcane. Smokekit held it tightly in his jaws, practically daring Moonkit to go after it.

She giggled and leapt on top of his, seeing Fruitkit pound after her to grab the cane. The ginger she-kit pushed away Moonkit and bit down hard on the cane, fighting for possession of it from her smokey gray brother.

Moonkit began to quietly wail. She never got to play fair with them, she was too small.

She heard the stern voice of Quietweed, "Fruitkit, Smokekit, play nice with Moonkit!"

Fishkit, who had a claw hooked on the cane glanced at his mother. "But she's so tiny and weak! We can't help it that it's so easy to push her away."

"Then don't push her away." Hissed Quietweed. She brushed her tail over Moonkit. She looked down at the silvery kitten. Moonkit already felt much safer in her adoptive mother's embrace. She purred into the kitten's ear. "You'll get bigger, sweetheart."

"As big as my two daddies?" She queried. She considered herself very lucky, unlike Fruitkit, Fishkit, and Smokekit, she had two fathers! She got to share Minnowfin with them, but she had Bamboostep all to herself. Although Minnowfun didn't play as much with her as he did with them, nonetheless, she still had two daddies.

Quietweed licked the top of the kit's head. "As big as them combined. But don't be in such a rush to grow up. Stay still and enjoy the little things in life for now, okay?"

Moonkit nodded, taking her mother's advice. "Yes, mommy."

"How's my little samurai-cat?" Asked Bamboostep, approaching the kit with a limp sable in his mouth. He set it down for her and smiled.

"I'm gonna grow as big as you and Minnowfin combined!" Moonkit purred stretching her paws across the brown-furred prey, "That's what Quietweed told me at least."

Bamboostep purred. "Did she, now?"

Moonkit cherished every moment she got to spend with her father, as he was deputy. Therefore, he was a very busy cat. Whenever he brought her prey, she would try and eat as much as she could just to please him, and also make sure she grew bigger.

She saw Quietweed frown. "Bamboostep, may I talk with you?"

He nodded. "Of course." He licked the top of Moonkit's head, his rough tongue baring tracing her ears. "I'll be back, Moonkit." He then walked away with Quietweed. Moonkit's ears pricked. She wanted to know what they were talking about.

They seemed to be circling the nursery. So she went back inside and tip-toed past Eveningfern, who was sound asleep.

She pressed her ear close against the thin den-wall, ready to listen to what her father and mother had to say.

"I can't feed her anymore." Quietweed admitted softly. "I'm drying up, and no matter how much borage that Seedthorn gives me, I can't feed her."

"Then she can eat solid prey." Bamboostep suggested.

Quietweed shook her head, her ears barely visible through the wall. "Seedthorn said it wouldn't be good for her to give her prey until she's at least a moon and a half. And she's still so little, she needs the nutrition from milk."

Bamboostep paused. Then he meowed, "She's a moon old, I think she'll be fine."

"I'm returning to my warrior duties soon." The she-cat replied with a stern voice, growing slightly agitated by the deputy's insistence. "Smokekit, Fruitkit, and Fishkit are nearly six moons old. They can begin their warrior training the next sunrise. And as I said, I am dry of milk. You're going to have to transfer her over to Eveningfern."

Bamboostep sighed reluctantly. "But you're such a good mother to her. Wouldn't that… wouldn't handing Moonkit to another queen just scar her emotionally? She's formed a bond with you, we can't take that away from her."

"And I can't supply her with the love and food that she needs." The she-cat turned around. "I'm handing her over to Eveningfern. She's fresh with milk and about to have another litter. I doubt that Moonkit will even remember that I nursed her." Then she walked back into the clearing, ignoring Bamboostep's protests.

The tom slowly stepped back out. Moonkit swallowed hard. She didn't understand what they were saying. Eveningfern? Was she going to get another mother? She smiled wide. Another mother! That means that she'll have a third father as well!

She bounced out of the nursery, tail flicking. She spotted Bamboostep and she mewed. He looked down to her and forced a smile. "Hey, Moonkit." He mewed tiredly. "There's going to be a little change from now on, okay?"

She nodded eagerly.

He tilted his head and then shook it. "See Eveningfern in there?" He nosed toward the black queen, drowsily waking up from her sleep. "That's your new mother."

Moonkit flexed her paws. "I get another mommy!"

He looked down at her. He was looking at her in such a strange way. Why did he seem like he was pitying her? He averted his green gaze. "Well, not really. Quietweed… she's not your mom anymore. Not at all."

"Why not?"

Bamboostep wrapped his tail around her. "She can't feed you anymore. But Eveningfern can."

"Can't I eat from Quietweed anymore?"

He shook his head. "No, she's not your mother."

Moonkit glanced down at her tiny white paws. She took a deep breath. Her heart felt sad, but she was sure that she'd feel better with time. That's what Seedthorn does, every time he heals a cat, he doesn't really heal them. He's simply speeding up the process of time, the time required to heal a cat. Maybe he has some herbs to help with this strange pain in her chest.

She forced a smile to her father. "Yes, Bamboostep."


	3. Buzzing in the Willows

**Chapter 3**

Moonkit had been nursing from Eveningfern for a few sunrises, and they had already grown a mother-daughter bond, but Moonkit felt as though nothing could replace Quietwood; who has moved back to the warriors den.

Moonkit was sitting outside next to Bamboostep, passing an acorn from one another. Fruitpaw, Smokepaw, and Fishpaw, were undergoing warrior training now. At this time, Seedthorn was inside the den, helping Eveningfern with her kitting. Finally, a few tiny mews erupted through the den.

Seedthorn poked out his head, whiskers quivering. "Goldenfoot, Eveningfern has given birth to two she-kits and one tom!"

The large, fluffy golden tom leapt to his paws and pushed past Bamboostep.

Moonkit huddled close to Bamboostep. "Was it like that for me?"

Bamboostep softly chuckled. "No, not quite. I found-"

Suddenly, a grievous wail came from the nursery. Goldenfoot came out and shoved a jet black kit in the medicine cat's face. "Fix her! You're the medicine cat!" Seedthorn stared in alarm at the tiny kit. The kitten hung limp from Goldenfoot's jaws. His eyes were blazing with sadness and anger. "What are you doing?" He screeched, "fix her!"

Seedthorn looked at the limp kit, not a single breath. Moonkit held her own, scared that she might lose it. The medicine cat slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, Goldenfoot. But she rests with StarClan now."

"No!" He wailed. "You're incompetent! She can't be dead, it can't be!"

The tom took the tiny kit in his mouth. "We will lay vigil for her tonight."

Moonkit's ears pricked. She even heard Eveningfern's mournful and painstaken meows. Moonkit hide close to her father's pelt, in the soft warmth of his belly fur. She mumbled softly, "I'm hungry…"

Bamboostep gently pushed her away. "Then go feed with Eveningfern. Just be sure to let the other kits eat as well."

She nodded and went into the nursery to see two kittens, one was brown and the other was golden. Eveningfern's face was damp with tears and sweat, but she smiled upon seeing Moonkit. "Hello, Moonkit. Come say hello to your denmates."

Moonkit stepped forward and looked down at the tiny shapes.

Eveningfern lightly tapped her tail on the brown she-kit. "Her name is Hazelkit." Then she gently licked the head of the golden tom. "And this is Waspkit." Her eyes suddenly grew cloudy with grief. "And… and the black she-kit outside is Nightkit."

Moonkit smiled down at the kits. She wasn't the smallest in the camp anymore!

A few moon later, Moonkit had finally begun to eat solid prey. But Waspkit and Hazelkit were already managing to be quite the pawful around the camp. Bamboostep was almost always on a patrol now, often leaving Moonkit on her own.

Waspkit's shiny golden fur glinted in the greenleaf sunlight, his amber eyes glowing like mini-suns. He looked like he'd be a very strong cat, a great warrior. While Hazelkit spent most of her time with Seedthorn, the medicine cat, making Moonkit wonder if that was what Hazelkit wanted to become.

Fruitpaw had just come back with a weasel, she walked triumphantly into the camp with Acornpaw following close behind, his jaws closed with moss.

Swallowheart herded them in, shaking his head. "I didn't think you'd actually catch it."

Fruitpaw simply smiled and set the weasel on the pile. She looked over to Moonkit. "Here, you can have it!"

Moonkit waddled over to the kill and sniffed it before taking a bite. The warm blood rushed into her mouth. She tasted salt and iron, but it was wonderful. She smiled and twitched her tail in happiness, continuing to eat.

Acornpaw narrowed his eyes. "You were supposed to be collecting moss, Fruitpaw."

She straightened herself. "I couldn't let that weasel go." She purred.

The tom rolled his eyes and carried the moss to the elder's den.

Swallowheart looked down at Moonkit happily eating the weasel. "Aren't you to be an apprentice soon?" He asked her.

She looked up briefly and nodded. "Yep. I'm five moons old now."

"Soon enough." He commented.

Moonkit glanced at the entrance, hoping to see Bamboostep come out of the entrance into the camp to greet her. But no one came. She lowered her ears sadly and finished eating the weasel, feeling her stomach grow quite full.

Swallowheart padded away. Moonkit blinked. She hasn't seen her father all day since last night. Looking around, she noticed that all the cats were either sunning or sharing tongues. She smirked and began grooming herself as well. _Soon enough, I'll be an apprentice as well!_

She suddenly felt a light tug on her tail. Waspkit was holding onto it with his teeth. Moonkit looked down and smiled at him. "Hi, Waspkit."

Waspkit let go. "Let's go out the camp!" He mewed eagerly.

She tilted her head, her whiskers twitching nervously. "Why would we do that?"

"Because Hazelkit doesn't want to do anything fun." He whined.

Moonkit licked the top of Waspkit's head and she flicked her tail. "You'll be an apprentice soon enough, just wait your turn to get out of the camp." She sighed, wondering why she herself couldn't be patient.


	4. Worry Stone

"Moonkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Moonpaw. I ask StarClan to watch over you and guide you until you find in your paws the strength and courage of a warrior."  
Moonpaw blinked her wide eyes. She was finally an apprentice! She looked around, wondering who her new mentor will be.  
She looked around the camp until she saw Stonedust step forward. He was one of the largest cats in the Clan. His thick fur stirred slightly in the morning breeze.

"Stonedust, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have shown yourself to be stoic and patient, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Moonpaw."  
The large stone-gray tom approached Moonpaw. She swallowed hard and felt her nose touch his, sending a chill down her spine. She turned around, seeing the Clan begin to cheer loudly for her.

"Moonpaw! Moonpaw! Moonpaw!"

The cats then began to break apart. Bursting through the crowd was Bamboostep, whose purrs rumbled louder than thunder. He nuzzled his daughter warmly, tear sparkling in his eyes. He sniffed and rubbed against her cheek again. "Moonpaw, I'm so proud of you."

Stonedust simply smiled at them.

Bamboostep then took a step back and recomposed himself. "I'm sorry. That is most certainly not how a deputy should be acting." He smiled. "Congratulations, Moonpaw. Stonedust, you are to take her to investigate the territory immediately. She has much to learn."

The large tom dipped his head to the smaller deputy. "Yes, Bamboostep."

Bamboostep scampered away to Gullstar to form other patrols. Stonedust nudged the tiny tabby gently. "Come."

Moonpaw followed after the hefty cat through the fern tunnel, entering the thick forest. The trees rustled softly in the dawn breeze, the bored thrum of the greenleaf cicadas went through Moonpaw's ears like the blood flowing within. She would almost taste the heat in the air, the air thick and humid. She opened her mouth and immediately tasted the musty scent of prey. "I smell prey!" She mewed.

Stonedust simply nodded. He walked forward quietly, Moonpaw following.

Her pawpads pricked on a few stray twigs and fell over a couple of roots more than a few times, causing her mentor to rumble with amusement. At last, they reached a twoleg dirt path that reeked of not only twolegs, but across the path Moonpaw could scent something else. She could tell that it was more cats.

Stonedust stared ahead. "Over there is MortalClan territory." Was all he said. He flicked his tail and began to walk down beside the path.

Moonpaw realized that her little paws were having a hard time keeping up the senior warrior's pace. She was panting by the time they got to the destination. She pricked her ears and looked up, seeing at three large stones with a tendril across them, dangling a thin twoleg pelt on it. In front of the stones were old wooden bowls, some with fruit inside of them.

"These are the StarClan stones." Stonedust mewed as he gently traced the moss growing at the base of one of the stones. "This is where medicine cats come every half moon to commune with StarClan. We warriors do not have much use here. Now come, I am to show you EarthClan territory." He whisked his tail and immediately began walking again.

Moonpaw gasped for breath. "Can we please rest for a moment?"

Stonedust paused. He glanced back at the apprentice, seeing how tired she was already. He sat down and begun to lick his paws. "Of course."

"Thank you." She murmured softly. She sat down to catch her breath. Moonpaw gazed around the forest, pale sunlight dappling their pelts and making the spots that shone on her fur glimmer a pure, unearthly white. She heard rustling noises and strange clamour going past the trees and brush ahead. She looked up and peered out, seeing the tip of several twoleg nests.

Stonedust noticed her gaze. "That is the twolegplace. There are plenty other cats there, but they are all kittypets and loners. Don't bother with them." He turned around, past the bend of the dirt path. "Past there is EarthClan. They live on a high cliff overlooking the sea." He turned back down to her. "Ready to return?"

She feebly nodded and wobbled up to her paws and followed the trail back to their Clan.

* * *

On the High Cliff, Moonpaw laid back her ears and looked around, cats swarmed around her like unadulterated bugs fluttering in her ears and eyes. Across the cats sat the three leaders of the Clans, the Warriors of Aoshima.

She sat down and nervously wrapped her tail around her paws. She spotted Bamboostep sitting in front of the three leaders, smiling at his daughter.

"EarthClan has been thriving." Meowed Boulderstar loudly, planting his paws firmly into the rock. His half-cut tail twitched. He glanced at Brindlestar, the leader of MortalClan. "You have the cliff, Brindlestar."

The scrawny she-cat nodded and rasped, "MortalClan has driven out HavenClan invaders. We are strong."

Moonpaw heard a few of her own Clanmates scoff in response, but said nothing else. Gullstar looked a little smaller than Boulderstar, but definitely healthier and bigger than the frail Brindlestar.

Gullstar blinked her eyes and then sat down calmly. "HavenClan has a new apprentice. Moonpaw."

Moonpaw heard the whispers erupt. She hadn't considered that perhaps HavenClan had announced Moonpaw's arrival to the Clan early on as a kit.

"Isn't that the weird kit that popped out of a bamboo?"

"Who knows if she's actually a kittypet?"

"So what if she is? Look how tiny and useless she is!"

Moonpaw sighed and flattened her ears. The Clans chanted her name softly.

Stonedust set his tail on his apprentice's shoulder. "Don't worry about them. They're just nervous of what great potential that you have." He smiled down warmly at her. Moonpaw's eartips flushed red and she looked away, swallowing hard. She felt a ruffle against her fur. She quickly turned around to see a dark brown tabby tom. He smiled wide.

"Don't mind EarthClan." He said pleasantly. "They're just jealous of you." He raised forward his paw. "I'm Hickorypaw."

"Moonpaw." She muttered softly.

Stonedust looked down at her. "Don't mind speaking to cats of the other Clans. It's what the gathering is for after all."

Hickorypaw flicked his tail and began walking back through the throng of cats.

Stonedust moved her forward. He grinned a toothy grin at her. "Don't worry, I'll stick by you if it makes you feel safer."

Moonpaw pressed closer to her mentor and purred. "Thanks, Stonedust."


	5. Delicious Dokus

**Chapter 5**

Moonpaw returned to the camp holding a fat mouse. She tilted her head seeing Eveningfern darting around the camp with Waspkit following after her. He turned to her and walked over to her.

"Moonpaw, Hazelkit has gone missing!"

Moonpaw set down the prey and flicked an ear. Stonedust tipped his head and picked up the prey to bring to the fresh-kill pile. "I've seen her hanging around the medicine den."

Eveningfern looked over and shook her head, her amber eyes huge as moons. "She's nowhere in the camp! Not only that, but Bamboostep is missing as well."

"Missing?" Moonpaw stepped forward. "I saw him this morning. I'm sure he's just out on a patrol."

Iceflank, who was licking himself, glanced over and snorted. "He went by himself. He's been gone since early dawn." He flickered his gaze to a floating pink colored cloud in the sky. "And now it's nearly dusk."

Moonpaw blinked. She flicked back her ear. "I'm sure he's okay."

"Keep telling yourself that." Iceflank mumbled.

Eveningfern turned to hiss at him. "Help me look for my kits!"

"Why not get Goldenfoot-sensei to find them?"

Eveningfern's pelt bristled high. Her claws unsheathed and began digging into the soft dirt. Her nose turned into a fiery red, hot like coals. "It's not strange at all for cats to become mates with their mentors!"

Iceflank chuckled and jumped off the rock, continually licking his paws. "Whatever." He helped himself to the fresh-kill pile, leaving the black queen steaming with rage. She flicked her tail indignantly and continued to search the camp obsessively.

Waspkit turned to watch Stonedust enter Gullstar's den. He looked back to Moonpaw. "Take me out of camp. I want to find Hazelkit. If she's not in camp-"

"I can't do that, Waspkit." Moonpaw sighed.

Waspkit's whiskers quivered. "I don't care if I get in trouble. I need to find my sister."

Moonpaw looked around the camp, making sure that no one was watching. She sighed. "We don't have much time. We need to get you back before sunset. We can look around the cliff and the bamboo forest, but no further."

Waspkit's tail twitched. "Thank you, Moonpaw! I won't forget this!"

Moonpaw then walked out of the camp entrance, Waspkit following. She glanced over her shoulder. Waspkit was nearly the same size of her now. It was only a matter of days until he became an apprentice as well with Hazelkit.

The cats entered the bamboo forest, stalks stretching higher ever into the sky. Waspkit wanted to stop and smell every plant and every mark, but he ultimately kept a stern face searching for his sister.

A warm scent drifted to Moonpaw's nose, at first she worried it was a patrol, but she realized it was something else. "I smell something." She admitted.

Waspkit looked at her. "Who? What is it?"

She closed her eyes and took another sniff. She blinked. "Bamboostep?" She blinked. "Stay behind me, Waspkit."

She continued padding through the forest until she reentered the cherry and elm forest. Through the dense leaves, she caught Bamboostep's scent again. She saw a glint of his grey fur through the bare spots and then rushed forward. "Dad?"

The tom turned around. He was staring out at the ocean through the gathering spot for the Clans. What was he doing here? He blinked his green eyes and then looked back out. "Waiting."

"For what?"

Bamboostep did not respond. He continued to lash his tail. He was obviously thinking about something, but he had to be hungry. She nodded to Waspkit to stay next to her father. She went back to the bamboos and began to hunt.

Moonpaw opened her mouth and caught a whiff of sparrow. She gazed ahead, seeing a tiny patch of brown feathers flittering along the leaves and nuts on the ground. She narrowed her eyes and crouched low. Moonpaw flattened her tail and crouched slowly forward, putting weight into her back legs, preparing to jump when it tried to fly off.

With one hard push, Moonpaw shoved herself off the ground, startling the bird and purring in satisfaction as it flew directly into her paws. With a quick nip, Moonpaw killed it.

The she-cat brought it back to the cliff, seeing Waspkit and Bamboostep talking and laughing happily together. Moonpaw smiled and set down the sparrow next to her father.

He grinned at her. "Thank you, Moonpaw. You caught this just now?"

She nodded.

Bamboostep purred. "You'll be an excellent hunter one day."

Moonpaw blushed and looked away. "Everyone's worried about you. And Hazelkit has gone missing as well."

"What about Waspkit?" Bamboostep queried, casting a meaningful look to Waspkit who was shuffling his paws with a mouse-brained smile on the kit's face.

Moonpaw shook her head. "We went out of camp to look for Hazelkit together. We just happened to find you."

"Ah, so that's why." Bamboostep stood up and stretched his forepaws. Moonpaw twitched her ear as a tiny pebble tumbled down the cliff into the water. The thought of jumping down there made her tremble. The tabby turned around. "Time to go back. It wouldn't be good to have Waspkit get in trouble."

Moonpaw nodded and the trio began walking back to the camp. Moonpaw thought to herself. Why did her father come out to the cliff? Was it just to think about things. She looked up at her father's moving shoulders as he walked on. He was strange, that was for sure. But all in all, he was a good and kind-hearted cat. Gullstar could have chosen one of the stronger cats to be deputy like Minnowfin, Goldenfoot, or even Stonedust, but she instead chose the cat with the most love in his heart.

Moonpaw heard a terrifying yowl split the air. She rushed ahead into the camp past Bamboostep. She froze still, seeing a circle of cats in the center of the camp. No one saw them come in. Moonpaw silently urged Waspkit to the nursery nearby and went forward with Bamboostep. The silver she-cat nearly retched upon seeing what the cats have found.

A small, dark brown lump of fur had droplets of foam coming out of her mouth, a glint of something red and shiny in her slack jaw. Bamboostep stepped ahead.

"She must have eaten dokus while I wasn't looking." Muttered Seedthorn, his pale brown speckled pelt fluffed up in shame.

Eveningfern was wailing and screaming at him, blaming the medicine cat for the death of her kit. That he should have been watching her.

Gullstar raised her dampened face to her deputy. "We found Hazelkit far back in the herb storage. She must have eaten the doku berries."

"Why do you have poisonous berries in there in the first place!?" Screamed Eveningfern, tears streaming down her face, her fangs bore and her amber eyes slit in terror.

Seedthorn feebly said, "When a cat is dying, I give them doku berries to put them out of their misery."

"You sure put Hazelkit out of _her_ misery!" Snarled Goldenfoot, Eveningfern's mate.

Moonpaw ducked out of the way and crawled to the apprentice den. She couldn't hear anymore, but even crawling to her den didn't stop the yelling and accusations. She could hear Waspkit's feeble sobbing and everyone's blames directed to the speckled medicine cat.

She turned to see a white she-cat, Softpaw, also in the den sitting next to her brother Acornpaw.

Acornpaw was already asleep, or at least pretending to. Softpaw flattened her ears. "It's really bad." She gentle she-cat whispered.

Moonpaw sighed and glanced back outside. "I hope things get better."


	6. Quietest of Cries

**Chapter 6**

Wasppaw puffed his chest out in pride. His new mentor was Minnowfin, and Moonpaw was happy to be training beside her best friend. But Eveningfern was still mourning for her lost daughter.

A moon had passed since Hazelkit's death, and only a few days after Wasppaw began his training. Eveningfern has refused to leave the nursery, begging to Goldenfoot for the chance to have a litter, but he always was a little apprehensive at the idea.

Moonpaw crouched low, Wasppaw just a pace behind her.

"Good," Whispered Stonedust. "Now pounce."

Moonpaw obeyed. She sprung her legs forward and outstretched her claws and snapping at the tail of a squirrel. The fluff sprawled the area until Moonpaw lurched forward and snapped the squirrel's neck directly. She picked it up and looked to Wasppaw, whose eyes were wide with awe, and Minnowfin who flicked his tail. Stonedust stepped ahead and took hold of the squirrel. He looked to the dappled gray tom and he nodded.

Minnowfin went on, "Wasppaw, you are to pounce next. I expect you to stalk just as well as Moonpaw."

He nodded. "Yes, Minnowfin." The cats went through the forest until a splash of pale gray entered their visions. The wings fluttered anxiously, picking at the ground. Wappaw's eyes narrowed. "I got it."

"You better." Minnowfin huffed softly.

Wappaw slipped forward. He was a naturally large cat, he looked almost exactly like his father, Goldenfoot. Moonpaw watched as he then slicked back his ears, but let his tail flicker. The dove caught notice that she was being stalked, and immediately fluttered her wings to take flight into the air. Minnowfin growled. "Failure!"

Wasppaw rushed forward and leaped up, attempting to catch his claws on the feathers, but ultimately failed. He lowered his ears and slumped his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Minnowfin."

"'Sorry' doesn't feed cats!" He snapped.

Stonedust seemed like he wanted to say something, but said nothing.

Minnowfin raged on, "When I was your age, I caught a pheasant without a mentor to show me how to tread on the ground! But you're clumsier than a badger!"

Stonedust remained silent.

Moonpaw spoke up instead. "He's a new apprentice, I don't think you should be expecting him to-"

Minnowfin hissed loud. "You're not his mentor, are you?" He turned around and padded through the undergrowth, his shoulders shoving through the ferns and trampling plants. "Come on, Wasppaw. I'm going to teach you how to fight instead."

Wasppaw skittishly followed.

Moonpaw looked up at her mentor. "Minnowfin isn't normally this moody."

Stonedust stared after where the tom left. "He's just upset about Quietweed."

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. It's not an apprentice's business." He twitched his ear. "You continue hunting. I'll catch up with you after I take your squirrel back to the Clan." Without another word, Stonedust went back on the path following back to their Clan.

Moonpaw blinked and smiled. A solo hunting mission! At least for a little while. She continued on walking toward the gathering cliff. She was grateful that HavenClan always had access to hunting there, as the territory pressed directly against it. She was told by Rubbleflight, an elder, that MortalClan once had the audacity to mark the gathering cliff, despite it not touching any part of their territory.

Moonpaw spotted a seagull, barely hidden by the long fronds. Her blue eyes turned into slits before she darted forward. But she underestimated the distance. She landed a tail-length from the bird. It looked panicked before realizing that the trees blocked the sky. It squawked loud and began to hop through the woods.

Moonpaw smelled the sea-brine as she chased after it. She jumped forward, crashing through the undergrowth barrier onto flat, stoney earth. She looked down to see that she had the struggling seagull in her jaws. She quickly bit down the neck and the struggling ceased.

Then she looked forward to see a sleek black cat sitting on the cliff ahead. She pricked her ears and approached the cat. It took a moment to realize that it was Eveningfern! She set down the bird and meowed, "Eveningfern?"

The she-cat barely turned her head, her amber eyes glinting dim in the dying sunlight. "Hello, Moonpaw."

"What are you doing here?"

She she-cat turned back to the orange ocean, a delicate spray glittering her fur with water droplets. "I'm thinking about killing myself." She answered honestly.

Moonpaw'e eyes widened. Then Eveningfern sat up and bunched up her muscles. She was really going to do it without so much as a goodbye!

Moonpaw immediately lurched forward and tightly gripped her teeth in the she-cat's black scruff. Moonpaw strained under the weight, already feeling sweat drip off her whiskers.

"Drop me, please." Eveningfern said softly.

Moonpaw continued to try and heave her up. The queen hung limp in Moonpaw's jaws. This added more to the weight. The apprentice grunted, feeling the pebbles shift under her paws. She nearly gasped in alarm, the cliff was about to fall apart!

The apprentice suddenly felt an incredibly sharp pain in her scruff. She looked out of the corner of her eye to see a large gray tom, heaving the two up. With almost no effort on his part, he tossed Eveningfern and Moonpaw onto the solid ground before it fell away. Moonpaw and Stonedust were panting.

Without another word, Stonedust gripped hard on Eveningfern and began to drag the numb she-cat through the forest. Moonpaw feebly followed as well. The three cats eventually got back to the Clan. Moonpaw caught a glimpse of Wasppaw licking at bloodied wounds on his pelt. He raised his golden eyes and his pelt spiked up to see his mother covered in dirt.

"Mom!" He shouted in alarm. He began to lick the dirt off her pelt anxiously, like a mother to her kit. "What happened?"

Eveningfern did not respond. She simply stared ahead with blank, orange eyes.

"She tried to kill herself." Whispered Moonpaw, swallowing back tears of despair.

Stonedust continued to drag the she-cat to the medicine den, Seedthorn immediately assisting in pulling her inside.

"W-Why?" Wasppaw asked, fur still fluffed up in alarm.

Moonpaw lowered her head. "I-I'm not sure. I think it had to do with Hazelkit and Nightkit."

Wasppaw held back tears. He raised his head high and proud. "Hazelkit was supposed to become medicine cat. Eveningfern wanted that."

The silver cat pressed close to her golden friend. "I'm sorry, Wasppaw."

He sniffed hard and then looked up at the sky. "I'm going to become medicine cat."

Moonpaw suddenly pulled away, her blue eyes wide in shock. "W-What? But you wanted to be a warrior with all your heart!"

"I know." He turned to the medicine den where Seedthorn was working anxiously. His amber eyes glinted with a strange new glow. "But I need to help her. I can't help her by being a warrior."

"Do you think you can do it?" She glanced at the den. "I wouldn't want to be a medicine cat. That's too much responsibility and studying. I can't dedicate my life to studying. I want to be a warrior, and eventually a deputy, just like Bamboostep."

He blinked and gently smiled. "Then… I guess if you're going to be leader, I'll walk with you every step of the way."

"As I with you." Moonpaw purred. "If you want to be a medicine cat, I'll support you; every step of the way as well."


	7. Reflected Gold

**Chapter 7**

Gullstar nodded to Seedthorn. "Since you have chosen the path of a medicine cat, your new mentor will be Seedthorn. Clan dismissed."

Wasppaw grinned as he looked to his new mentor. Moonpaw grinned warmly for her friend. This is what he wanted, and she wasn't going to stop him. She didn't stop him.

Seedthorn flicked his tail. "Come, I've to show you where the herbs of the forest are."

Wasppaw and Seedthorn together left the Clan. It made Moonpaw wonder what would happen while they were gone from the Clan? She shook her head, everything should be perfectly fine. Bamboostep looked down at the Clan. "Moonpaw, I'd like you to train Acornpaw and his mentor in the mossy hollow today. I'll go with you to watch your progress."

Moonpaw nodded. It was only natural for her father to be curious on her progress as a warrior. She blinked as Acornpaw, who had just finished up eating a chipmunk. He scampered over to the two cats with Swallowheart following. The blue-grey and white tabby tom entered through the fern entrance with the two apprentices and deputy following close behind.

The forest floor didn't gleam with warm sunlight. Leaf-fall had finally hit the Clan, leaves the color of flames scattered the soft and damp earth from the last night's frost.

Acornpaw rushed through the trees into the hollow. He winced seeing the moss.

Moonpaw observed to see the clumps of moss sticking up, frozen from the frost, cold and prickly. Her paws flinched from the frost. Bamboostep walked to the moss as well. He stood in the middle and waved his tail. "I want Acornpaw and Moonpaw to tackle me."

Moonpaw lowered her ears. "N-Now?" She asked skittishly.

He nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Swallowheart sighed and shivered his tail as well.

Acornpaw pressed close to Moonpaw, Moonpaw being able to feel his soft and warm fur on her flesh. The silver she-cat felt her ear-tips grow incredibly hot. She rushed ahead, Acornpaw following after and pouncing onto the deputy's flank.

Moonpaw skidded to a halt when she spotted her father flop onto his back and press Acornpaw into the frosted moss. The tom squeaked in alarm and wriggled out from under the sleek deputy. Acornpaw stood up and shook the moss from his pelt. "I wasn't expecting that!" He growled.

Swallowheart shrugged. "Know your enemy, Acornpaw. And know that Bamboostep is a clever cat."

Moonpaw chuckled softly under her breath.

Bamboostep turned to her. "Moonpaw, you held back."

She flicked her ear and meowed, "I saw him pounce on you, I knew what-"

"You didn't help me." Acornpaw mewed in a sour tone, licking his chest from embarrassment. He shot a dark amber glare at the apprentice. Moonpaw shuddered until he smirked. "You're smart." He suddenly laughed.

Moonpaw chuckled nervously, looking away. Even Bamboostep noticed her unease. He ruffled his shoulder fur. "I suppose she is." The deputy informed. "Let us continue. I will teach you two how to evade a roll-over counterattack."

* * *

Moonpaw was going back to camp, scenting that Wasppaw had come in recently. She suddenly blinked and perked up her ears. Eveningfern was wailing in despair, similar to the other day. She trotted quickly into the camp. "What's going on-"

Wasppaw was anxiously treating Goldenfoot, his body very slow in breathing and dark blood pooling around his body. "I can save him!" Wasppaw gasped.

Seedthorn stayed silent. Then he met eyes with Moonpaw. He sighed and lowered his head. Moonpaw swallowed hard. They both knew that Wasppaw didn't have enough experience at all to be able to save Goldenfoot; whatever happened to him.

Gullstar stared on sadly, not saying a word.

Eveningfern was sobbing into her mate's fur.

"What happened?" Acornpaw whispered to his sister, Brookpaw who was standing nearby.

The gray tabby sadly shook her head. She was covered in scratches. "Goldenfoot, Frostflurry, Oakwish and I were on patrol together. Suddenly, MortalClan cats attacked us near the cliff. Oakwish nearly fell off of it, but a MortalClan cat and Goldenfoot saved her mid-battle. But while Goldenfoot was helping her, the deputy attacked a-and… and killed him." Brookpaw swallowed hard. "He's dead. Goldenfoot is dead."

Moonpaw looked back at Wasppaw's feeble and desperate attempts in healing his father. But nothing worked. Wasppaw was in denial and he could not accept that his father has died, been killed no less.

Gullstar slowly raised her muzzle. "Weaseltalon will not go unpunished. As of right now, Bamboostep, Brookpaw and I will enter their camp and demand for the compensation of a strong and beloved warrior." She flicked her tail. "Come."

Bamboostep and Brookpaw dipped their heads and said in unison, "Yes, Gullstar."

The three cats left the camp, hackles raised in pure anger.

Moonpaw began to wonder what Gullstar would demand? Would she demand for prey or territory? Or perhaps even the death of one of Brindlestar's warriors?

Wasppaw wailed in harmony with his mother, sobbing together into the soft, rose-painted sky. Moonpaw began to cry. _Why is this happening? Why is everything in HavenClan falling apart?_

Fruitpaw watched as they left as she remarked, "Goldenfoot was a fine warrior."

Smokepaw nodded in agreement. "Yes." Then the two looked over to Wasppaw.

Fishpaw scoffed silently. "What a weakling, I didn't sob like that when Quietweed disowned Minnowfin."

Moonpaw's ears burst. Quietweed left Minnowfin? Now that she came to think of it, they never sat together any longer when a meeting occurred and they never shared tongues again ever since their kits left the nursery. Moonpaw would admit, Minnowfin was always overbearing and protective of her and the kits. While Quietweed seemed a little bored of these advances and gestures.

It made Moonpaw's heart sink. Weren't mates supposed to love each other forever?

Acornpaw caught Moonpaw's gaze. He padded over and sighed. "I liked Goldenfoot. He was a really nice cat." He glanced at Wasppaw. "He looks just like he did. Amber eyes and everything." Then he blinked awkwardly at Moonpaw. "And your eyes aren't a kit's blue anymore. They're a bright yellow."

Moonpaw twitched her tail and blushed. "I-I suppose."

"What color are mine, now?"

The she-cat looked into Acornpaw's eyes, seeing a sweet, dark amber, the color of honey. "They're a honey colored." She answered softly. "But is now really the time to be talking abou-"

"Of course it is!" He interrupted. "It's a hard time in the Clan right now, and as soon as we become warriors, we're going to need to bear kits for HavenClan."

 _Kits!?_

Moonpaw chuckled nervously and took a step back. "K-Kits? Acornpaw, we're still only apprentices. We can't really think about that right now."

"But we should!" He mewed insistently, taking a step forward, causing Moonpaw to take a few backward. He noticed this. He tipped his head and smiled. "Just… think about it, okay?"

Moonpaw's whiskers quivered nervously. "O-Of course, I'll think about it. But I'll only really start considering it once I'm a warrior."

Acornpaw shrugged. "Okay." Then without another word, he trotted off to the aprpentice den.

How could he think about mates and kits at a time like this? Moonpaw had only just recently become an apprentice anyway. They should be grieving Goldenfoot, not talking about having kits for StarClan's sake!

Moonpaw turned back to Wasppaw. She dismissed Acornpaw in her mind. She needed to care about Wasppaw. He was heavily grieving right now, and they promised each other that they'll be there for one another.

The silver she-cat sat close to her friend and pressed her shoulder to his. "I'm sorry, Wasppaw…" she whispered gently, licking his shoulder in comfort. "No one should have to go through this."

"I could have saved him-" he choked out. "I'm a medicine cat, I'm supposed to save cats!"

Moonpaw shushed him. "You're only just become an apprentice today. There's no way you could have saved him."

"What if there was?" He cried.

"No, no there wasn't…" Moonpaw soothed. He sniffled and lowered his head in response. Moonpaw shut her eyes and buried her nose in Wasppaw's fur as he dug his in his father's pelt. No cat should have to go through this. If she had to watch Bamboostep die, she would likely kill herself.


	8. Cherry Blossom Love

MortalClan and HavenClan were staring intently at one another, a clear divide between the two Clans as they sat at the cliff. EarthClan simply stared in bafflement at the divide. Boulderstar's shoulder shook before he spat out, "Come on, the Gathering is for peace, not petty arguments!"

Brindlestar scoffed and glared at Gullstar. The white and black she-cat's gaze held still at the dark gaze. Moonpaw shrunk back, accidentally colliding into Acornpaw. She briefly sighed and sank into the ground. On each side of her, sat Wasppaw on one side and Acornpaw on the other. Wasppaw glared at the warrior apprentice on her other side.

Ahead through the crowd, two more apprentices were barging through to get to Moonpaw. The she-cat blinked, staring at the cherry-ginger she-cat standing next to a white tom with brown spots. They smelled like EarthClan and MortalClan respectively. The she-cat ducked her head shyly away. "H-Hello," she mewed softly to Moonpaw. "I'm Cherrypaw of EarthClan."

The tom dipped his head with his green eyes catching the moonlight. Moonpaw gulped, staring at his size in shock, was he a warrior? If not, he must be very close. "I am Spottedpaw of MortalClan. I am sorry for us to meet in such a turbulent time between our Clans."

"What do you two want?" Hissed Acornpaw defensively, pulling Moonpaw closer to his warm fur, eliciting a cold glare from the medicine cat apprentice.

Cherrypaw took a step back, looking away. Spottedpaw spoke up instead. "I am here to speak to Moonpaw in private."

"P-Private?" Moonpaw echoed dumbly.

"Yes," he purred. Moonpaw was waiting for a tail movement, but saw nothing. It was as though he had no tail of any kind, which may very well be the case.

Cherrypaw cast a sorrowful glance at the tom and then quickly looked away as Spottedpaw brushed past Moonpaw. His whiskers twitched in delight and excitement as Moonpaw began to hesitantly follow him.

"I have heard of you." He said rather calmly. "Your strange upbringing and origin story have fascinated me."

Moonpaw's eartips grew red. She quickly darted away her pale, moon yellow eyes. "Th-Thank you. I know it's weird."

"Born in a bamboo." He mused, his shadow casting over the silver tabby. He looked down to her, green eyes glittering like ocean water. Her heart began to beat faster, staring at his strong details. He was large with muscles rippling beneath his fur. Moonpaw's heart was pattering in her throat, terror gripping her. "Did you know that my grandmother is Brindlestar?"

"No, I did not." Moonpaw admitted in an attempt to keep her voice calm and level.

"My apprenticeship is almost over." Spottedpaw said in a low voice. "Our Clans are in terrible turmoil as of now. If only there was some way to tie them together." He smirked at the small apprentice. "I am nearly allowed to take a mate."

Moonpaw flicked her ear, pretending that her pulse beginning to ease. "Oh? Why are you telling this to me?"

"I am the grandson of a powerful and aged leader. You are the mysterious bamboo-kit of HavenClan. If we…" he begun to purr and press against her. "Become mates… then we can tie our Clans together."

Moonpaw jumped back nervously. She could barely hear the words of the leaders at the cliffside, as her thoughts clouded every other noise. Spottedpaw continued to speak softly, "Our kits can bring the Clans together once and for all, and maybe even make all the Clans join as one if we work hard enough."

"N-No…" Moonpaw muttered quietly.

Spottedpaw was suddenly pushed down into the grass, claws flying between the two. Acornpaw was on top of the larger tom, groping his claws into the apprentice. "Leave her alone!" Acornpaw hissed coldly, his eyes were dark and sinister slits. "She's going to be my mate and that's the end of it!"

Spottedpaw coolly chuckled. "Oh, Acornpaw. What is it you can offer to such a delicate beauty such as Moonpaw? Nothing. Your heated desire with her will bring your Clan nothing."

"More strong warriors to kick the living rat-shi-"

"Stop it!" Moonpaw head a shout over her shoulder. She turned around to see Cherrypaw's lanky legs shivering in terror. The she-cat swallowed hard and flicked back her ears. "This is stupid, fighting over a she-cat like that! Are you even considering how she feels?"

Spottedpaw purred. "I'm not forcing the idea of her being my mate." He pointed out, easily pushing off the HavenClan tom. He licked his shoulder nonchalantly. "I am only pointing out the benefits of it. Isn't that right, Moonpaw?" He cast a sideways glance to the silver tabby, causing her to look away.

 _Both these toms want me… for their own reasons! Acornpaw, just because he thinks I'm somewhat attractive, and Spottedpaw to unite all the Clans. Both of those reasons are ludicrous enough!_

Cherrypaw pressed close to Moonpaw. "Let her make her own decisions." Moonpaw glanced at the beautiful dark ginger she-cat. Her blue eyes were glinting with malice at the two toms. The she-cat brushed her tail over Moonpaw's shoulder before turning around. "Moonpaw, come with me, away from those heated toms only wanting a piece of tail."

"H-Hey!" Acornpaw objected.

Cherrypaw snorted. "You're both disgusting weasels, you know that?" And before they could retort, Cherrypaw was already guiding Moonpaw back to her Clan. She suddenly reverted back to her sympathetic and nervous self. She sat down and wailed quietly, "Oh, StarClan! I've never stood up to anyone like that!"

Moonpaw smiled comfortingly at the strange cat. "It's… okay, Cherrypaw. Thank you."

"So, is what Acornpaw said is true? Are you going to become his mate?"

The she-cat blushed and shook her head. "The very idea… He's so pushy."

Cherrypaw looked somewhere else. Moonpaw followed her gaze, to see that she was looking over the hills to the twolegplace, bathed in the soft caress of moonlight. "I hate Clan life. I have a desire to run away to the twolegplace. Let the twolegs take care of me." She giggled and then her eartips turned bright red. "Sorry, why am I telling this to a HavenClan cat of all cats?"

"Not sure." Moonpaw shrugged. "Why do you want to leave?"

"Lots of reasons. They don't matter to you." She stood back up. "I'm… heading back to my Clanmates. We're probably leaving soon."

"We should have been listening to the reports of each Clan." Moonpaw said with a twinge of concern in her voice.

The ginger she-cat did not respond, she trotted back to her Clanmates.

After a while, HavenClan cats decided to get going. Moonpaw found herself walking next to Wasppaw. Wasppaw jogged close to her, or rather Moonpaw was struggling to keep up with the golden tabby. Wasppaw looked incredibly worried. Moonpaw blinked her pale yellow eyes up at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just that…" Wasppaw sighed. "So many cats are in love with you."

"Just…" Moonpaw struggled for words. "Spottedpaw and Acornpaw, but they don't matter to me."

"Cherrypaw too."

The tabby gasped. "W-What? What do you mean?"

"I've heard a rumour from EarthClan's medicine cat. She has been considering suicide, much like Eveningfern. They were swapping out remedial options for both of them when he mentioned that Cherrypaw has been happy again, ever since she's first seen you at the gathering you first attended." Wasppaw narrowed his eyes. "It doesn't take a mouse-brain to figure out that she wants to run away to the twolegplace, but the medicine cat knows her, she is a lonely cat, and she would never go on her own. She's looking for someone to go with."

Moonpaw shuddered and pressed closer to her friend. "I'll be careful."


	9. Golden Heart, Foot, and Mind

"You're not patrolling again?" Asked Frostflurry to the deputy.

Bamboostep coughed and slowly nodded. "I am afraid I cannot. I have been getting much too tired even after skirting the territory. Seedthorn instructed me to stay in camp and work on my breathing exercises."

Moonpaw lowered her head. She was hoping she'd get to patrol with her father. His presence put her at ease, as did Wasppaw's.

Bamboostep noticed his daughter's upset face. After taking a deep breath, he draped his tail over his daughter's shoulders. "Moonpaw, do not worry. It's likely something that Seedthorn calls 'allergies'."

"You've never been like this before, though." Frostflurry hushedly whispered before glancing back down at Moonpaw.

Moonpaw wasn't stupid. She knew that Swallowheart had these 'allergies', and she's never seen them vomit or because emotionally withdrawn like Bamboostep is doing. On a few occasions, she's heard him vomit and cry loudly in the middle of the night when she was trying to sleep.

Bamboostep looked down at his daughter. "Do you not want to patrol? I can get Stonedust to give you a different assignment."

Brookpaw quietly huffed. "She'd get in the way, anyway."

Frostflurry jabbed her apprentice in the ribcage with her paw. "Don't say such mean things, Brookpaw. One more distasteful word out of your mouth and you'll be picking ticks off of Softbranch and Rubbleflight for the next moon."

"Whatever." She muttered casually.

"No," Moonpaw meowed looking into her father's green eyes, "I'm going to stay here and take care of you."

Bamboostep chuckled. "That's… so nice of you. Thank you, Moonpaw. Frostflurry, Brookpaw, take Stonedust with you and patrol the EarthClan border."

Stonedust dipped his head. "Yes, sir." He flicked his tail and then turned around to leave the camp with the two she-cats following him.

Bamboostep tiredly began to walk to the medicine den with Moonpaw scampering ahead of him. She spotted Wasppaw muttering to himself and pointing to different herbs, flicking his ears. It took a moment before he noticed Moonpaw standing next to Bamboostep, who was ducking to enter the den. Wasppaw dipped his head. "Hello, Bamboostep. Here for your daily dosage?"

"Yes, Wasppaw." The deputy quickly settled himself down in a nest next to the larger apprentice. "You've grown so fast, in body and in mind."

Wasppaw chuckled as he sorted through different herbs, noticeably small little beans with green sprouts on them. Wasppaw gathered a few of them and then wrapped them in a few large, long, glossy looking leaves. He set them down in front of the deputy. "Those are Ashitaba leaves, meant to help your breathing. In the wrap are some barley sprouts to help your heart. Any other symptoms for today, Bamboostep?"

He shook his head. "No thank you, Wasppaw. I appreciate the medical attention you have given me."

Moonpaw gazed at all the herbs in astonishment. "How could you learn all of these?" She asked Wasppaw in complete awe.

The tom chuckled. "I'm not sure. I suppose it's similar to how you would learn and remember fighting moves and tactics. For me, it is herbs."

Bamboostep purred to the apprentices. "I know you wanted to be a warrior, Wasppaw, and the whole of HavenClan is proud of you for taking a step on a path none of us saw ahead of you. But please tell me, do you regret choosing this at all?"

Wasppaw was quiet for awhile. He was rolling some sprouts in his paws. "I think about it sometimes. I know I look exactly like Goldenfoot, and he was an amazing and strong warrior. He was big, strong, and brave. And I think that some cats are a little upset that I've squandered my potential as a warrior. But for me personally? I enjoy this. Helping cats is what I want the most. Does that make sense?"

Moonpaw staggered for a moment, wondering about herself. She wasn't particularly big or strong, or even that quick and clever. Rather, she was small, weak, and pathetic. She looked away. "Maybe I should have been a medicine cat. Bamboostep, is it too late to switch apprenticeships?"

Bamboostep shrugged and looked at her with a soft warmth in his bamboo-green eyes. "Wasppaw enjoys his work. Yes, he would be an excellent fighter, but if this is what his heart desires, then his heart must stay. Am I correct, Wasppaw?"

The golden tabby nodded. "Yes, sir."

Moonpaw sighed and dropped her tail to the ground. "I feel useless and tiny is all."

Bamboostep suddenly pulled her close to his chest. "Don't say that about yourself, please. You have potential in other places. Cats already are naturally flocking to you for your presence. This could be the alluring aura of a future leader. You're also a beautiful young she-cat, someday in the future, you could be providing beautiful and strong kits for our Clan. Even the elders have their place in the Clan. Softbranch is the mother of our leader, Gullstar. She offers so many stories and life lessons for us. The kits have a place as well as they live life in the moment. They are to bring emotion and smiles into our lives. Every cat has a purpose, especially you, Moonpaw."

The she-cat didn't realize she was crying. She blinked away her tears and smiled at her father. "Thank you, Father. I will always remember your words."

"Good." He nuzzled his daughter before heading to the entrance to leave the den. "I must go speak with Gullstar now."

Suddenly, Bamboostep was gone. Moonpaw turned back around to Wasppaw. "What's wrong with Bamboostep?" She quietly demanded.

"He has a heart disease." Wasppaw said with a slap of pity in his tone, "He only has another moon to live at most. For now, we can only soothe his journey to StarClan."

Moonpaw closed her eyes, smothering herself in the comforting darkness for a moment. The brutal honesty hit her like a tidal wave. Was she expecting him to lie and say that her father was perfectly fine? No, never. Moonpaw wasn't the cat ready to swallow a white lie. She wanted the truth, and that is all she desired.

With a firm gulp, she spoke. "Thank you, Wasppaw. I'll… see you tomorrow."


	10. Bamboo Shavings

Bamboostep didn't even last a moon, let alone for the next few sunrises. Moonpaw stared at his body set in the center of the camp. His fur was dead still, not even a breeze was sent to move it. Moonpaw tried to kid herself, telling herself that he was simply exhausted from patrols all night. But that most certainly wasn't the case.

"He mentored me…" Swallowheart sobbed out. "He was… a good cat."

"A wonderful mate to Littleheart." Barely choked Frostflurry. "She would be so proud of him."

Moonpaw stayed quiet as the cats began to say soft words of kindness to her and her deceased father.

Iceflank looked down at the silver apprentice. He begrudgingly set his paw on the cat's small shoulder. "He… he brought you into the Clan, Moonpaw. The truth is, you were-"

Gullstar slapped her long tail against the lanky gray tom. "Hush, Iceflank. Now is certainly not the time to be telling her that."

"Tell… Tell me what?"

Gullstar blinked her pale blue eyes and looked away. "It's nothing, my dear."

"Well, of course he brought me here." Moonpaw said with large unblinking eyes. "He's my father, isn't he? Was Littleheart my mother?"

Iceflank opened his mouth to speak before Sparrowfeather gently shoved him aside with her strong hind legs. "Yes, she died giving birth to you." Iceflank glared frostily at the she-cat before turning and walking away. "That's why you had Quietweed and Eveningfern as your mothers for a little while. Isn't that right, Iceflank?" She hissed the tom's name and he coldly nodded.

Moonpaw looked down at her father once again. His gray tabby fur looked almost a glinting silver in the rising sunlight.

 _They think I'm dumb enough to believe I don't know how I really came here?_ She squinted her eyes shut. _Quietweed told me when I was just a kit. She wasted no opportunity to make me feel like I didn't belong in the Clan. Perhaps it's best to let them believe I don't know..._

Gullstar looked to two elderly cats, one dark brown and one a dappled gray. "Softbranch, Rubbleflight, you two may bury Bamboostep."

The elders dipped his heads and hoisted the twiggy and limp body of the ex-deputy onto their backs and carried him to the outside of the camp.

"He rests with StarClan now." Stonedust comforted his apprentice.

"Y-Yeah…" Moonpaw sniffled.

A shout rose above the cats, "Who shall be the new deputy?" Asked Quietweed.

Moonpaw raised her head to suddenly see the eager gazes of all the cats around her. Specifically, every cat who has had an apprentice at least once. Minnowfin gazed hungrily at the highrock where Gullstar sat, and Stonedust's tail started to twitch.

Gullstar stood up. "Quietweed is correct, I do need to assign a new deputy. However, I have time to think this through until moonhigh tonight. Bamboostep was a good deputy, and I saw him to become an excellent leader after me. Bamboostep, rest well, my old friend. Clan meeting is dismissed."

Minnowfin huffed and padded away.

Moonpaw followed Stonedust. "Are we going to train today?"

The tom smirked slightly. "Is that what you desire?"

She shuffled her paws nervously under the shadow of the larger tom. "I was just thinking… because there's nothing else to do."

"Shouldn't you be mourning your father?" Stonedust remarked.

Moonpaw twitched her ears and looked away. "I'd think he'd want me to move on as fast as I could." _Even if the pain is eating away at my heart like a parasite._

Stonedust gave a sympathetic look in his gaze. "I want you to go to Wasppaw and Seedthorn. This must be hurting you more than you let on. I want you to be the healthiest you can be when we are training." Before Moonpaw could say another word, Stonedust was already walking away to the fresh-kill pile.

Moonpaw sighed and decided to do as instructed. She turned around and walked slowly to the medicine den to already see Wasppaw holding a large mouse in his jaws. Moonpaw blinked and watched as he slowly set it down in front of her white paws. He shrugged and gave an awkward smile. "For you."

Moonpaw did not object. She crouched down and began to eat the food provided to her within a few mouthfuls. She coughed out a small tuft of fur and brushed past Wasppaw into the medicine den, immediately settling herself into a nest.

The tabby sat down next to her. "I'm… I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." She muttered quietly. "At least I know how you felt when Goldenfoot died."

Wasppaw blinked and quickly looked away before giving a decided chuckle. "Right, that's a positive way to look at it."

Moonpaw did not respond.

He turned to his herb store. "I'll get you some sprouts."

She suddenly realized that her heart felt much more relaxed. "I… already feel better…" she meowed.

"That's because of the bamboo shavings I put in that mouse for you."

"B… Bamboo…" _Bamboostep._ She buried her head in the moss and her paws. "Bamboostep! Why did you have to go!? I still needed you! D...Daddy!"

The moments she had spent with him suddenly came rushing into her mind like a flooded stream. The times he has encouraged her, the moments of comfort and kindness. All of that was suddenly gone, and he is no longer going to be able to provide that for her. Bamboostep was gone.

"Moonpaw…" Wasppaw set down the barley sprouts in front of her. "If you'd like, I'll go to the StarClan Stones tonight and attempt to commune with him. It's the half-moon meeting for medicine cats anyway."

She sniffed. "You… You'll do that for me?"

"Of course. Now please put me at ease and eat these sprouts."

She looked down at them and cradled the tiny sprouts in her paws. "I thought they were for heart diseases?" _Like Bamboostep._

Wasppaw nodded. "You remembered. But yes, they are for heart diseases. But they also help heavy depression. I should know, I have to administer them to Eveningfern every day."

Moonpaw reluctantly put them in her mouth, tasting the bitter earth they were dug up from. "Ugh…"

"Nasty, I know. Would you like some wasabi plants for that?"

"What're those for?"

"Food poisoning."

Moonpaw chuckled. "I… don't think I'm going to get sick from eating a few specks of dirt."

Wasppaw sighed in relief. "R-Right, sorry."

"By the way," Moonpaw meowed, "How is your mother doing?"

"Better." Wasppaw glanced at his mother sleeping in the other corner of the den. "I think I'm going to get Seedthorn to ask Gullstar to send her to the elder's den. She'd be more comfortable there I think."

Moonpaw laid back down. "Where's Seedthorn anyway?"

Wasppaw slicked back his ears nervously. "StarClan Stones. He left early. He insisted he has to commune with StarClan there as soon as possible. When I leave tonight, I think I'm going to bring him some prey."

"That's nice of you." The silver apprentice purred. She forced herself to stand up. "I think I'm going to go hunting and take my mind off of things for a bit."

"Alright, bring back something good for me." Wasppaw mewed.

Moonpaw left the den and exit the camp without a word. She felt the stares of the cats endlessly pitying her, but she didn't have the energy to care. She padded through the bamboo forest until she got to the cliff. Moonpaw sat down and stared at the endless gray ocean and the bright, cloudy blue sky. She scented thunder on the air. Moonpaw settled herself to lay down on the edge, concentrating on the sounds of waves crashing against the rocky cliff. She meditated there until sunset.


	11. Oceanstar's Prophecy

"Did you know I'm the new deputy?"

Moonpaw looked up to her mentor who was proudly munching down on a pigeon. "That's great news, Stonedust."

The gray tom looked up to the sky. "Although it's raining, I think we should do some combat training. A warrior needs to be prepared to fight in any weather condition."

Moonpaw swallowed the last bit of her stoat and stood up, fluffing her fur out. "Yeah… I suppose…"

"Then let's go." Stonedust stood up quickly and padded out through the entrance.

"Moonpaw!"

Moonpaw turned around to face Wasppaw, who had darted out of his den. "Is Stonedust really taking you out training today?"

She nodded.

"Alright… just don't get sick, okay? Seedthorn and I are already taking care of Sparrowfeather and Minnowfin, they got sick and we've almost used up all of our illness herbs."

Moonpaw nodded. "I'll try my best."

She then rushed out to catch up to her mentor and new deputy. He was walking slowly to the training clearing. Moonpaw looked at him and his firm, gray gaze. "Have you already set up patrols for today?"

He nodded.

Moonpaw stayed up with him, the rain beginning to soak through her flesh by the time they got to the training grounds. The tom stood in the center. "Attack me." He commanded.

The she-cat, without warning, jumped on to him, using her firm hind legs to aim for his back. He yelped in surprise and attempted to shake her off. She even clenched her jaws onto his scruff. Stonedust suddenly cried out and rolled over to slam her into the mud.

Moonpaw gasped, and then began to claw the air for breath. Her throat was on fire, her lungs were on fire, her eyes were on fire. She attempted to scream but no sound came out. Black dots began to scatter across her vision until all at once, the weight lifted off of her.

"You would have been killed!"

Moonpaw looked up to her mentor's eyes, furious and gray like storm clouds. This was a very sudden shift in attitude. She laid back her ears. "I… I'm sorry, Stonedust."

"I'm the deputy now, I have to be hard on you!"

Moonpaw swallowed hard, the rain beginning to patter harder. "Wh… What's wrong Stonedust? This isn't normally like you."

"Then you're blind." He growled at her, his pupils were thin lines. "I've realized I've been too nice to you."

For the briefest of heartbeats, Moonpaw thought she saw the pale silhouette outline of a cat standing behind her crazed mentor.

"Now get up." He demanded, the outline fading away. He quietly chuckled. "Oh man, this feels so good." He whispered while lashing his tail. "I can be who I really am now."

"This?"

"Yes." He purred before quickly showing his teeth again. "Now attack me! I want you to try and kill me! Do it!"

"Kill… you-"

"Do it! I won't die, I'm the strongest there is, and one day, I'm going to be leader! Attack me, you stupid runt, attack me!"

 _Attack me!_

* * *

"That was excellent." Stonedust was dripping in blood, slowly being washed away by the rain. "Your tiny claws need work, but this is fine. You'll grow muscle in no time."

Moonpaw nodded, exasperated as they walked into the camp. It took only heartbeats for Stonedust to revert back to his isolated and introverted self. What was suddenly so wrong with him? He always seemed to nice and forgiving, so why was he suddenly like this?

Moonpaw in turn was covered in bruises and blood that weighed down her thick fur.

The sun was already gone, and dark clouds covered the sky. She dragged herself to the apprentice den, not even thinking of snagging some food to eat. Brookpaw, who was already laying next to Moonpaw, gasped at the blood and backed away. "What the heck is wrong with you!? You're covered in blood!"

 _Mine or Stonedust's?_

"I slipped on the cliff stones." Moonpaw quickly lied. "I got beat up pretty bad, but-"

"Did Stonedust save you?" Softpaw meowed in astonishment as she walked in, quickly shaking off her rain-soaked fur. "He's an excellent choice for deputy! He's so strong and brave."

Moonpaw swallowed hard. "Y-Yeah."

 _Maybe he was just having a bad day? Yeah, that must be it. Even I get a little cranky sometimes when things don't go my way. Stonedust will be fine tomorrow morning, I know he will. If only I could talk to Bamboostep about this._

Acornpaw gasped at Moonpaw. "You need to get checked out by Seedthorn, those wounds look pretty bad."

"I-I'm fine, really, they're just scrat-"

Moonpaw gasped in alarm when Acornpaw quickly began to lap at her bloodied wounds. His rough tongue felt uninvited against Moonpaw's flesh, but she stood still and endured it. It felt like an eternity has passed when Acornpaw finally finished up. "There, but I still insist you see the medicine cats. Unless you'd rather stay here with me for the night?"

The option to go to Seedthorn suddenly seemed very inviting.

"Y-You're right, I'll go the medicine den." Moonpaw stuttered before slipping away from the other apprentices, almost immediately hearing whispers erupt behind her back inside of the den.

Moonpaw felt too tired to sprint, she dragged herself into the medicine den, seeing Seedthorn speaking to Wasppaw. When Seedthorn noticed Moonpaw, he quickly turned around and began to work on sorting the herbs.

Wasppaw slowly shook his head at his mentor and helped Moonpaw into a nest, almost immediately soaking it with her and Stonedust's blood. He gazed over her wounds. "What happened to you?" Wasppaw asked quietly.

Moonpaw blinked and looked away. "I slipped down the cliff."

"And survived?" Wasppaw blinked and paused for a while before licking at her wounds. His tongue felt much better than the stranger flesh of Acornpaw. She suddenly began to relax. "Seedthorn," he asked, "We need some cobweb."

"You know where it is." The pale brown tom muttered.

Wasppaw sighed and got the cobwebs himself and plastered them on her wounds. Moonpaw felt his paw run across her skin, feeling on lumps. He chewed up some pink and green ruffled plants and spat them back out on the swellings on her skin. "I'm sorry for Seedthorn. He's been acting a little strange ever since the StarClan Stones visit."

"You're the one acting strange!" His mentor spat, his hackles rising and eyes slit like blades of grass. "Assisting and healing a StarClan-forsaken murderer!"

"M-Murderer?" _He couldn't possibly be talking about me…_

Wasppaw hissed at his mentor. He turned back around and continued to heal Moonpaw. "I'm sorry about my mentor. He's…" he paused. "I'll… tell you later. If you have the time?"

"Oh, she has plenty of time on her bloody paws!" Seedthorn growled low, crawling close to Moonpaw until he was only a tail-length away. Wasppaw stood between his mentor and Moonpaw.

"Leave her alone!" Wasppaw said firmly.

"Fine, it's your vigil." Seedthorn crawled back to his spot and continued to sort the herbs, his hackles still risen and his tail bushed out.

Moonpaw whispered, "What's he talking about?"

"None of your concern." Wasppaw assured her. "Now stay still, this may sting a bit." Wasppaw was not incorrect, the next paste he put on her wounds stung like, well, a wasp. She grit her teeth until the pain faded altogether. "I don't want you training for the next few days, you're in pretty bad shape."

Moonpaw stood up shakily. "Thank you, Wasppaw."

"And you're not going back to the apprentice den."

"What?" Seedthorn and Moonpaw exclaimed simultaneously.

Wasppaw nodded at both of them. "Moonpaw will just end up straining herself if she goes back to her den. The easiest way to take care of her will be keeping her here in the medicine den." He wrapped a few clumps on moss around her. "You're going to be just fine, now please try to get some sleep."

"I _refuse_ to share the same den as a bonafide killer!" Seedthorn objected.

"For the last time, Seedthorn. Moonpaw is not a killer."

"You don't know that! You didn't see into the eyes of StarClan!" Seedthorn said at the top of his voice. Moonpaw shrunk back into her nest, sure that he's waking everyone in the camp. He went on, "I was told by the wisdom of Oceanstar herself what had happened! The war, the blood, I've seen everything!"

Wasppaw rolled his eyes. "Did you eat those herbs like I asked you to?"

"Heretic! Blasphemy! You were there, you saw the leaders and the prosecution of StarClan war crimes in Youkai Forest!"

Wasppaw narrowed his eyes. "No, Seedthorn. For one, the Youkai forest is a tale made up to make kits obey their mothers. For two, I did not see the 'prosecution'. I heard Honeybee telling us that herbs will be slightly depleted for this season, and we will need EarthClan's help to get through this Leaf-bare." He sighed. "Honeybee was _your_ mentor. And you're telling me you saw an ancient MortalClan cat leader that was, mind you, executed for his actions of killing any she-cat who refused to have his kits. Seedthorn, think of how crazy that sounds. Why would an evil and treacherous _MortalClan_ leader tell you that a cat in HavenClan is a murderer?"

Seedthorn paused and looked at the ground, lashing his tail. "I… I'm never wrong. I'm never wrong, I'm never wrong, I'm never wrong."

"Seedthorn, go to the elder's den." Wasppaw demanded. "Don't make me drag you there."

"Fine." He said in a dark, guttural voice. "But only because you might make the slightest of sense." The tom stomped off to the elder's den, slapping his tail against his apprentice's face on the way.

Wasppaw looked back down at her. "He's been insisting that you're a murderer, and his flimsy evidence is insane to say the least."

"I've never… killed anyone. U-Unless…" she blinked. "Wasppaw!" She asked in desperation. "Please! Please check on Stonedust!"

"What for?"

"Just do it, please!"

Wasppaw hesitated but he nodded and exit the medicine den. Moonpaw sat in her nest, fearing for her mentor's life. He was begging her to attempt to him, because he was so sure he would survive. At the end of training, she had clawed and beaten him rather badly.

Wasppaw finally returned. "He's fine. He's covered in plenty of minor scratches, but that's something I can just check on tomorrow before he arranges patrols."

"Is he alive!?"

Wasppaw took a step back. "Y-Yes, Stonedust is alive and well, and actually a little grumpy I bothered his sleep."

She sighed in relief, but also a note of terror crawled up her throat. She only left scratches on him, and the blood that he was covered in was her blood, and her blood alone. A wave of shame washed over her. She was worse at fighting than she thought. Would running away with Cherrypaw to be a kittypet to be a better option than being a mediocre warrior of HavenClan?

"So you've never killed anyone?" Wasppaw affirmed.

She nodded. "No one. Not even inadvertently." Moonpaw swallowed hard. "It wasn't my fault Hazelkit died. Nor Goldenfoot or Bamboostep. I haven't even been in any real battles between the Clans yet."

The golden tabby looked away. "I don't know what to tell you, Moonpaw. Just that Seedthorn is old, and likely has dementia. I'm going to have to administer ginko leaves to him tomorrow."

Moonpaw sneezed. She internally growled. _Great. And I'm sick. That's… that's fantastic. I'm injured and sick._


	12. Miscommunication Error

**Author's Note:** **Geez, the last time I did an author's note, I was still writing in the trilogy of Fallenstar. Anyway, I wanted to thank EVERYONE who continually gives kind reviews to me and encourages me to keep going! Reading a review that someone says is enjoying the story or thinks it's beautiful, I want to hug them so much! Thank you so much for the kindness you keep giving me and to Moonpaw. I can not express my gratitude with just black and white words on a screen. 3**

"This is really bad…" Wasppaw muttered to Moonpaw absentmindedly. "Stonedust never should have taken you out for training."

Moonpaw huffs and looks outside to see Fruitpaw, Smokepaw, and Fishpaw bragging about their exploits. She looks back to Wasppaw. She lightly chuckles. "So many apprentices."

He nodded. "I think Acornpaw and his siblings are going to become warriors soon."

"When will you be a full medicine cat?" She asked her friend.

Wasppaw went quiet. "I'm not sure. Medicine cat training usually takes a bit longer than warrior training." He smiled. "At least the herbs will be growing back this newleaf, and that's considerably soon. I'm tired of bending over backwards just to borrow some from EarthClan, they act like I'm in their debt for life." He blinked and looked at Moonpaw who was patiently listening. The tom's eartips flushed red and he looked away. "I'm sorry, I'm rambling so badly right now! You probably want to know your status of your illness?"

Moonpaw nodded and then explosively sneeded. Wasppaw furrowed his brow. _This is bad, she's terribly sick. At least Sparrowfeather and Minnowfin are already out of the den, they just need to come back every so often for another dose of ashitaba or honeysuckle._ The tabby looked behind him to the sickness herbs pile. Only a few Ashitaba leaves remained, and they were completely out of honeysuckle. And unfortunately for Wasppaw, Seedthorn went to the StarClan Stones for more meditation, or so his mentor told him.

He grimaced as he took a glance outside, the rain pattering onto the already-soaked earth. Monsoon season was always the worst, herbs were being drowned out and cats were likely to get sick. Without Seedthorn to help him, it was very difficult to gather the herbs he needed in preparation for the rainy days.

Wasppaw fluffed out Moonpaw's bedding and swallowed hard. "Moonpaw, do you think you can handle yourself for a little bit? I have to go over to EarthClan for more herbs."

The she-cat sneezed and then nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

"Before I go," he picked up a few Ashitaba leaves and set them in front of her. "Please eat those and get plenty of rest."

"Understood, Wasppaw." Moonpaw meowed before lowering her head to begin munching on the leaves.

"I'll be back soon, I promise."

Moonpaw flicked her tail in amusement. "I'm not going to die while you're out getting herbs."

Wasppaw chuckled and then got out of his den, rain quickly dampening his golden fur into a dull brown.

Softpaw raised her sleepy head from the apprentice den. "Wasppaw, is Seedthorn back yet?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, your muzzle will have to wait a bit longer."

Iceflank, who was adding reinforcements to the warrior den hissed at his apprentice. "Maybe you shouldn't have been sticking your face in nettles where it doesn't belong."

Softpaw huffed and lowered her head to resume sleeping while tenderly rubbing her nose with a snowy white paw.

Wasppaw raised his head to Gullstar, who was speaking to Stonedust about what to do for patrols. "Gullstar, I'm heading out for more herbs."

Gullstar cringed for a moment. "Please be careful, Wasppaw. I'm not sure how much longer Ginkoshine would be willing to let you borrow her herbs." She narrowed her eyes, thinking. "Perhaps you should have a warrior escort in case things go nasty."

"I've been fine on my own, besides, I don't want any more sick cats in my den."

"Understood." Gullstar dipped her head. "May StarClan be with you."

Wasppaw nodded in return. "In turn for you, my leader."

He then left the camp, his fur becoming soaked by the tall plants dripping in water, forcing him to shake his pelt every now and then in a poor attempt to rid of much water as possible. The terrain went from soft and steadily to rocky, hurting his soft and babied paws. He always hated climbing his way to EarthClan camp.

The slope began to get steeper, and the trees were beginning to get thicker, covering him in near darkness. He sighed in relief, the rain not hitting him as consistently. _At least the canopy can shield me._ He thought gratefully to himself.

"Intruders! It's MortalClan!" Said the high pitched voice of an apprentice up ahead.

An older, more mature voice sighed at the younger one. "For one thing, that's HavenClan's scent. Another, it's just Wasppaw coming back for herbs."

Wasppaw stood still and waited for the cats to emerge from the underbrush, but rather they came from the sky. When the two lanky cats stood in front of him, it became apparent that they were hiding in the trees instead."

There was a tortoiseshell apprentice with bristling hackles, and she had likely just become an apprentice a few days ago. The older cat, likely her mentor, was ginger and white with heavily fluffy fur. His eyes folded into a stern expression. "Wasppaw, I assume you need more herbs?"

He nodded.

"Well, there's nothing more for you here." The ginger tom hissed at the younger cat. "Ginkoshine has verified that you are no longer welcome here."

Wasppaw fluffed out his fur and tried very hard to keep his hackles in line. "I want to hear this from her."

"Fine, we'll bring her to you." The tom mewed. He faced his apprentice. "Carrotpaw, bring Ginkoshine here."

"Yes, sir!" The tortoiseshell darted off, leaving him facing the medicine cat apprentice of HavenClan.

In an attempt to make small talk, he asked, "Is she your apprentice?"

"Yes, she just became one about a quarter moon ago, and she is certainly a spitfire." He chuckled. "Any new kits coming for your Clan?"

"Oakwish is pregnant." Wasppaw meowed happily, glad that the cat wasn't as thorny as he was earlier. "But no one knows who the father is."

"She doesn't have to tell." The tom meowed. "Anyway, I don't know if we met. Emberfrond. And I already know your name."

"She's here!" Mewed Carrotpaw, quickly taking her position back next to her mentor. Ginkoshine blinked curiously at the small apprentice. "Well? Tell her what you told us!" The apprentice insisted.

The fluffy gray she-cat nervously looked away. "I'm… sorry, Wasppaw. We cannot spare any more herbs. Not only that, but StarClan has contacted me, telling me that EarthClan must stand alone if it is to survive the monsoon season."

 _But… StarClan told me that I must rely on EarthClan if HavenClan is to survive!_

Despite his intrusive thoughts, he mournfully dipped his head to the other medicine cat. "I am sorry for hear that, Ginkoshine. But I believe I understand. Best of luck to your Clan."

"And to yours, Wasppaw." Ginkoshine said sadly. "And… And I'm sorry about what's happening to Seedthorn. Is he going to be okay?"

Wasppaw wanted so desperately to say yes, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. He slowly shook his head. "I don't know. But thank you for your concern. I will take my leave now."

The fear began to crawl up as his throat as he walked away from the sullen group of EarthClan cats. How was he supposed to help Moonpaw? He would need the wisdom of StarClan. He headed down the hill toward the StarClan stones until he spotted Seedthorn quietly meditating.

Wasppaw sat down next to him and shut his eyes, preparing himself for a vision from StarClan.

It was quiet and blank darkness for a while until a shining silhouette showed up in the darkness, the light progressively exploding to show more of StarClan's brilliance. The ground was a dusty white, and trees were gently swaying in the breeze. Wasppaw tilted his head up to see a giant blue ball in the sky. That sight always startled him, but he still composed himself.

He cleared his throat and spoke, "StarClan, I need help."

The figure turned into the sleek, sparkling golden tabby form of Honeybee. Wasppaw sighed in relief. "Thank you for appearing to me, Honeybee."

"Of course." The she-cat purred. "What appears to be wrong, Wasppaw?"

Wasppaw shuffled his paws. "A lot of things. Seedthorn has gone mad and it's the monsoon season, many cats are sick and I'm out of herbs for illness. I know you told me to ask EarthClan for help, but Ginkoshine won't help me anymore, she said that her Clan needs to stand alone."

The she-cat hummed to herself, thinking. "I see… I thought perhaps they would be more generous. And how strange that another StarClan cat would tell EarthClan something entirely different from what we compromised on. I wonder if anyone is up to this… anyway, I'll talk to Licoricefur and tell him to send a message to MortalClan to spare their herbs."

"Oh, Honeybee, thank you so much!" Then he paused. "H-How's Goldenfoot?"

Honeybee smiled. "I think he would like to see you."

A billowing of mist suddenly emerged and formed into the shape of Goldenfoot. He looked almost exactly like Honeybee, except he was much bulkier. The tom smiled at his son. "Wasppaw, you are doing excellent, thus far. I am so proud of you."

"Th-Thank you, Father! It means a lot to hear you say that." Wasppaw held back his tears of joy seeing his father standing right in front of him. He blinked and then stood still. "I..." he suddenly remembered how ill Moonpaw was back at camp. "I have to go help Moonpaw!"

"Then go, my son." Goldenfoot said softly. "Save her."


	13. Missing Kits and New Warriors

Moonpaw looked down at the herbs, guilt twisting in her heart. "A-Are you sure I can eat these?"

The medicine cat of MortalClan nodded. "Yes," said Cranestorm. "StarClan commanded that we share. Although Rhubarbpaw was a little reluctant…"

"The apprentice will learn." Wasppaw comforted.

The black and white tom stood up tall. "Of course." He poked the herbs with a white paw once more. "Eat."

Moonpaw, not wanting to disappoint him, snatched up the Ashitaba leaves in her mouth and quickly began to eat, the nasty bitterness clinging to her throat. She coughed, but forced the paste to stay inside of her body. It has the distinct scent of brine that the MortalClan cats lived next to.

"It's briney, I know." Purred Wasppaw in laughter. "I'll get you some water and prey to ease it down."

She swallowed the last bit when she heard a yowl in the camp. She twisted her head to look outside the den to see a cat panting. She recognized the scent as the salty MortalClan, despite her plugged up nose.

The white MortalClan she-cat spoke, "Shisoheart's kits are missing!"

"Then why are you telling us this?" Gullstar asked patiently. "I do understand that it is all Clan's duty to care for kits, but why tell us?"

Moonpaw's heart tied up when she noticed Spottedpaw there with the other two MortalClan warriors. "We have tracked their scents and noticed that they have crossed the border between our Clans."

"This means they are as much our problem as your problem now." Hissed a dark brown tabby tom in the group. He glanced quickly at the pregnant she-cat, Oakwish who was staring in terror at the patrol. Then he added softer, "We will repay the debt if you find them for us, we swear it."

"Would Brindlestar or Thornfeather appreciate you using our Clan's kits like pawning objects?" The white and gray she-cat hissed.

"Saltwing, your brother's kits will be fine, I assure you."

"I'll look!"

Moonpaw saw that Acornpaw spoke up. His chest puffed out proudly. He looked eagerly at his sisters, Brookpaw and Softpaw who exchanged hesitant glances.

"Very well." Spottedpaw meowed. "Thank you for your cooperation."

Gullstar sighed defeatedly. "I suppose there is no point in arguing it now. We have to fan out and search for the kits. And Acornpaw…" she smiled thoughtfully down at him, "do your best."

Acornpaw's honey-eyes glistened and he nodded determinedly. "Come on," he urged his sisters," We have kits to find!"

The tabby and Saltwing turned around, but Spottedpaw stayed still. The tabby blinked curiously. "Spottednose? Aren't you going to return?"

 _Spottednose, so he got his warrior name._ Moonpaw thought curiously. _I wonder if he still dreams of uniting all the Clans together._

Spottednose shook his head and turned back around. "I'm ready to return, Briarstrike."

The tom, supposedly named Briarstrike, nodded and exit through the loose bamboo stalks of HavenClan with Saltwing behind him.

Cranestorm, still in the den stood up and stretched his muscles. "I'll be leaving with them. If one of the kits are hurt, I'll need to be there."

"Good luck, Cranestorm." Wasppaw meowed before Cranestorm left and began to trot to catch up to his Clanmates. After a while, Wasppaw blinked. "It's Spottednose, now." The medicine cat was staring at where they left. "He's quite the gentlemanly cat, I wonder if he'll become MortalClan's leader one day."

Moonpaw lowered her head. "I don't know. Oh dear," she huffed, "I hope they find those kits." Then she remembered the queen's name that lost the kits. "Shisoheart? That's sort of a strange name for a warrior."

"Shiso is an herb." Wasppaw informed. He turned around to his stock before pulling out a broad, purple colored leaf. "It's supposed to be eaten when a cat's vision is turning blurry. I wonder if that has any significance to her name. Anyway, that's just me overthinking things like usual." He flicked his ears and his golden eyes widened. "Oh! I was going to get you some food and water! I'll be right back, I'm sorry." He hurried out of the den to leave Moonpaw alone.

She sighed and rested her head on her paws, feeling a cough crawl up her throat. _If only I can help them search for the kits. But I have to stay here and regain my strength._ She closed her eyes, helplessly falling into a nap.

* * *

"We found the kits!" A voice woke Moonpaw up. She bolted up and looked in front of her to see a mouse and a soaked wad of moss. While sucking on the moss for water, she turned to the entrance of the den to see Acornpaw with two terrified kits in front of him.

However, Brookpaw was holding one limp kit.

"Then you should be taking them back to MortalClan." Stonedust meowed.

Gullstar nodded. "But that is excellent news. When taking them home, return as swiftly as possible."

 _But… what for?_

"Yes, Gullstar." Acornpaw dipped her head. "Come on, kits, we're taking you home."

The dark gray she-kit wailed and looked at the one in Brookpaw's jaws. "What's wrong with Mintkit?"

Softpaw frowned and looked away. Acornpaw cleared his throat. "I'm not sure. You're going to have to ask about that to Cranestorm."

"O-Okay…"

"We'll be back soon." Softpaw promised to Gullstar as she swooped down to take a pale gray kit in her jaws before following to join Acornpaw who had done to the same to the other whimpering kit.

Moonpaw purred. "It's great they found the kits. But why didn't they bring the one that Brookpaw had to you?"

Wasppaw closed his eyes tightly and looked away. "Because it was probably… dead." He scowled and began to shake. "I… I hate being a medicine cat!" He admitted. "I know I'd be more use as a warrior, and I haven't even been able to properly train or save anyone! I barely know any of the herbs. And there you are, stuck as a warrior that you don't want to be either. Even if you wanted to become a medicine cat, there's no chance in the Youkai Forest that Seedthorn would allow it."

Moonpaw forced herself to rub up close to Wasppaw. "Do you… just hate it because of having to watch cats die?"

Wasppaw wiped away at his damp eyes. "I-I guess."

"Then save them." Moonpaw meowed firmly. "Bamboostep told me that every life has meaning and a purpose. This is your purpose. You'd be seeing even more death out there as a warrior, forced to attempt to kill." She blinked mournfully. "That's what _I_ have to do. You actually have the chance to save cats."

Wasppaw paused for a while before nodding with comprehension. "Yes. Thank you, Moonpaw. I'm not sure what came over me."

"The same thing that happens to me everyday; _doubt._ " Moonpaw smiled warmly at her friend. "I believe in you, Wasppaw. As does everyone else in the Clan."

Wasppaw purred and rubbed up against her. Then he quickly pulled away, realizing what he's done. Moonpaw noticed the insides of his ears turn into a warm red, eyes wide. He cleared his throat and averted his gaze. "R-Right, I need to… um…"

"Sort herbs?"

"Yes! Precisely!" Wasppaw said in faux excitement looking back to Moonpaw, his tail fluffing up, "Thank you! I'll do that! The sorting of the herbs, I'll be doing that… right now. Yeah." He took a deep breath and began to sort the herbs in front of him, despite them to be in seemingly perfect order.

Moonpaw purred in amusement and lowered her head again. Just then, she heard Acornpaw's patrol come back.

"The kits have been delivered." Brookpaw proudly announced.

"Excellent." Gullstar purred. "Now, all three of you, please gather below me."

Acornpaw tipped his head in confusion, but did as obeyed.

"All cats old enough to cut through bamboo stalks, please gather below me!" The leader announced.

Moonpaw sat herself into a better position to watch the meeting.

Gullstar smiled down at the three apprentices. "I,Gullstar, leader of HavenClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend each of them to you as a Warrior in their turn."

Moonpaw saw that the sibling's paws were each fidgeting with excitement, except for Softpaw, who looked much more hesitant.  
"Acornpaw, do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"  
"I do." Meowed the brown apprentice.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your Warrior name. Acornpaw, from this moment you will be known as Acornbranch. StarClan honors your strength and resilience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of HavenClan." Then Gullstar lowered her head to rest her muzzle on Acornbranch's head. The tom then licked her shoulder and she backed away to repeat the process for both Softpaw and Brookpaw. Softpaw was named into Softcloud, honored for her patience and warmth. Brookpaw was named Brookfrost, honored for her intelligence and quick-wit.

"Acornbranch! Softcloud! Brookfrost!" The Clan chanted their new names, Moonpaw decidedly joining, muttering Acornbranch's quietly.

"You three shall sit vigil for your Clan tonight. You will not say anything, and you must stay awake. Your former mentors will alert you when your vigil is complete. Clan meeting dismissed." Gullstar leaped off the rock as the new warriors approached their mother, Frostflurry and nuzzled Gullstar, their apparant grandmother.

It suddenly occurred to Moonpaw how old Gullstar really was. "She's already a grandmother? How old is she?"

Wasppaw shook his head. "I have no idea." He then looked at her, eyes locking together. "I noticed something during the ceremony. You were chanting Softcloud's and Brookfrost's names just fine, but you faltered on Acornbranch's name. Why is that?"

Moonpaw shuddered. "I, uh, think you know why."

Wasppaw didn't press the conversation. He simply nodded in understanding.


	14. Far From Home

**Chapter 14**

Moonpaw had an unpleasant awakening the following morning. She groaned, finding herself waking up to feeling cold and stiff, and nothing at all like in the medicine den. She sneezed suddenly and blearily opened her eyes, the blurry images coming into focus.

First, the scent hit her, strong and obnoxious, the scent of something terrifyingly foreign.

"Good morning, Moonpaw!" Purred a soft voice.

 _That voice… it's…_

She whirled around defensively to see Cherrypaw's matted pelt, damp with rain and had splashes of mud and dirt. In her mouth was a dirty and scrawny mouse. She delicatly dropped it in front of Moonpaw and smiled. "I caught this for you, I hope you like it."

"Ch-Cherrypaw…" Moonpaw forced herself to sit up, she felt cold and weak, and somehow, even sicker than before. And just when she was about to recover no less. She sneezed again and looked around the gray settings and oddly cuboid shapes around her. "Where are we?"

"The twolegplace." She purred as she pushed the mouse closer to Moonpaw.

Moonpaw's eyes widened in shock. "Wh-Why am I not back in HavenClan? What's happened? Why are we here?"

Cherrypaw chuckled. She licked her paw and drew it over her ear. "We ran away."

Moonpaw's tail dropped to the ground, becoming slightly agitated. " _We_ ran away? I don't remember agreeing to run away with you."

The ginger she-cat brushed past Moonpaw, causing a chill to go down her spine. "You did agree. Last night, I came to your camp. I asked if you were ready to go and you said 'yes', although you were very sleepy!"

"But the new warriors… they were on vigil last night." Moonpaw said in faltering hope.

"I slipped in through the dirtplace, not through the entrance of course. I'd be mouse-brained or if I wanted to be torn apart."

None of the warriors noticed, no one knew that Moonpaw had disappeared. "H-How did I get here?" She asked, her paws beginning to shake in disbelief.

"I carried you, silly." Cherrypaw was still grooming herself calmly. She gently rubbed her cheek on Moonpaw's. "Now it's just you and me, together."

Moonpaw's hackles began to raise, and her tail fluffed out, her yellow eyes still wide in terror. "I didn't want to be taken away from HavenClan! I likely have thought that it was Wasppaw speaking to me, not an EarthClan _intruder_!" She hissed at last. She stopped herself and sat back down. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to speak to you like that."

"It's okay, I know you're just hungry." Cherrypaw meowed, pushing the mouse to Moonpaw again. "I already ate, promise."

Slowly, she she-cat began to eat the mouse, tasting the dampness of it. She quickly realized she heard much more meowing around her, hissing, twoleg noises, and more unappealing sounds. The twolegplace was loud and unorthodox.

Cherrypaw was excitedly awaiting Moonpaw to finish eating. Once she finished, Cherrypaw bounded up and meowed in eagerness, "Let's explore the twolegplace! It'll be a grand adventure! We also need to find a nice place to stay that will be safe and comfortable."

Tiredly, Moonpaw followed Cherrypaw, as she had no choice in the matter. Moonpaw didn't know the way back to the forest or the Clans from where she was at the moment, she was completely lost, and she highly doubted that Cherrypaw would be willing to divulge the information to her.

They walked through the city, ignoring the nasty glares they got from twolegs and loners alike. As they continued on, Cherrypaw excitedly pointed out a beautiful 'shrine'. It was made of stone trees that connected together, and hanging from the center were strips of white butterfly wings. (Or so it seemed, Moonpaw couldn't find any better words to describe these strange fluttering objects…)

Next to it was the stone path, and between the shrine and the path was a divet, almost a perfect hole for cats to live in, and it was barely noticable.

Cherrypaw slipped inside and quickly got comfortable. With a purr, she meowed, "Moonpaw, come in here, it's actually pretty warm in here, and I'm sure it'll be warmer with… w-with you in it…" her eartips flushed red and she scooted over a little.

Moonpaw reluctantly entered it, and it was quite the squeeze. She settled herself next to the ginger she-cat, finding herself beginning to choke on the closing darkness and the compressed area. She couldn't bear the thought of having to sleep in here during the nighttime.

Moonpaw slipped back out. "I-I'm going to… get some prey. It's been a long day already, and you must be tired from carrying me."

"I am, thank you, Moonpaw." Cherrypaw yawned. "Be back soon, okay?"

Moonpaw shakily nodded and went through the twolegplace, scrounging for mice to hunt. However, that mouse that Cherrypaw found earlier must have been an extremely lucky catch, as there was nothing else to find. She consistently found herself bumping into other cats and getting a few spits from them, but she mostly kept alone.

After walking for a while, she heard a high pitched twoleg screech. She looked up, exhausted. Her eyes landed on a twoleg kit, who was holding a box of something in her paws. Behind her were two larger twolegs, likely her parents.

She yowled something at them and after a few strange movements, the kit kneeled down and took something out from the box, food!

They were small, but they smelled and were shaped like fish. Moonpaw munched happily on them and meowed in thanks at the twoleg. The kit seemed thoughtful and she stood back up, taking the paws of both her parents and walking away.

Moonpaw paused and grasped the box with her teeth and proceeded to carry it back to the hole that she and Cherrypaw resided in. She half-expected an aggressive loner to attempt to force them out, but she simply saw Cherrypaw waiting for her at the entrance.

Silently, Moonpaw put down the box of food in front of Cherrypaw.

 _It would have been a perfect chance to escape…_ Moonpaw thought while her ginger 'friend' munched on the food, _But… I have no idea which way to go to head back home. Am I stuck here now?_


	15. Acorn and Cherry Trees

**Chapter 15**

Moonpaw followed Cherrypaw through the twolegplace, begging for scraps from elder twolegs and avoiding fights with the other cats. The days passed like cold sludge on EarthClan slopes. Slowly, and most days feeling unbearably hungry, and with each night, Cherrypaw got closer to Moonpaw.

Several sunrises later, the hunting was particularly bad, and Moonpaw decided they needed to seperate to hunt or find the forest, but Cherrypaw heavily objected to that, saying they will never return to the forest, and that was the end of Moonpaw's fruitless search for the Clans.

"Then let's at least split up," Moonpaw almost begged. Her stomach was crying desperately for food. "We'll have better chances of hunting if we cover more ground. "

Cherrypaw sighed and nuzzled Moonpaw, causing the silver she-cat to freeze up. She stepped back and nodded. "Then let's meet back here at sunhigh, evaluate our catches, and then likely hunt some more." She turned around, about to head uphill. "See you later, Moonpaw." Then she quickly trotted away.

But Moonpaw had plans other than catching prey. She was going to finally work up the courage to talk to the loners and kittypets and ask for directions back to the forest. If she could find the StarClan Stones, then everything would be okay. She remembered very distinctly that the twolegplace was visible from the stones.

She went downhill toward the sea. Moonpaw attempted to speak to cats, but almost all ignored her, calling her a stupid and confused kitten. That is, until she found Susumo.

He was a white tom with a patch of ginger on his head and on his rump, the patch wrapping around his stubbed tail. He was fatter than most of the starving cats there, and he watched Moonpaw with a bored expression.

She noticed the tom staring at her, sitting on top of one of the twoleg nests. Her fur spiked up defensively. "What are you staring at?" She hissed.

"Someone who needs help." He meowed with a yawn. He stretched his forepaws. The tom scrunched up his body and sprang down from the nest. He came face to face with her, cold lime colored eyes. "I'm Susumo, and it seems you want to go to the forest?"

"Yes," she admitted. "I seem to have gotten… turned around."

He snorted in amusement. "Seems to be. Why would you want to go there? There's wild cats in there that eat kits and bones for fun."

 _Is that what they think? That's kind of funny!_ Then she realized dejectedly that he couldn't recognize her forest scent. It had sadly, completely faded away. She now scented like a twolegplace cat. She shrugged casually. "My own reasons."

Susumo grumbled a little. "Fine, I'll help you, but only because I'm nicer than most cats here. And what about your little dark ginger friend I frequently see you with?"

Moonpaw shook her head. "That doesn't matter right now. She… she can stay here."

"Ah, abandoning cats is your forte, huh?" Susumo meowed with a deep grumble.

Moonpaw's ears perked up high and she stiffened. "N-No, it's just… she's crazy! She kidnapped me in the middle of the night and forced me in the twolegplace. I'm trying to get away from here."

"Understandable." He meowed. Susumo twitched his whiskers and began to wobble down the stone path. "Follow me, kit."

"I'm not a kit…" she hissed while following him, "I'm more than a year old now."

"Whatever, kit."

Moonpaw could almost taste her freedom, and it lie within the paws of this fat tom cat. She was almost away from Cherrypaw, from this insane place and judgemental gazes from all the loners and kittypets. She safely assumed herself that Susumo was a kittypet, as he was much fatter than the rest.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted the thick trees up ahead past the fence and on a path. She turned around and said to Susumo, "Thank you so much, Susu-"

"Moonpaw!"

Her heart dropped like a stone in her stomach. She gazed over his shoulder to see Cherrypaw sprinting to catch up to her. She panted and dropped a small box with slimey long tendrils, similar to worms inside of it. "Why didn't you go back to the shrine? I told you to meet me there." Then she looked up at the forest. Suddenly her eyes went into leaf-thin slits. "Oh, you've found the forest. You were planning on leaving weren't you?"

A voice came back from the forest, crashing through the leaves was a patrol consisting of Acornbranch, Frostflurry, Stonedust, and Fruitpaw. They all gasped and Acornbranch wailed in shock.

"Moonpaw!" He cried out. "Thank StarClan you're safe!"

Susumo sniffed. "I think I'll take my leave." And he quietly waddled away, leaving Cherrypaw and Moonpaw to face the patrol.

Acornbranch glared coldly at Cherrypaw. "Who do you think you are, kidnapping my mate?"

"Mate?" Cherrypaw scoffed in disdain, "She's still an apprentice, pervert! What sort of things are you dreaming about?"

Frostflurry flicked her ears. "Come on, now is not the time for-"

"Shut up!" Acornbranch yowled. He approached Cherrypaw, shoving aside Moonpaw to stand next to Fruitpaw. "You come into the camp in the middle of the night, use the rain to mask your scent, and force my precious Moonpaw to live in this… this _carrionplace?_ Cherrypaw, you really disgust me!"

Cherrypaw snorted and approached Moonpaw, brushing gently against the she-cat's fur. "I love her. Are you happy? Moonpaw is my one and only reason to live, the reason to survive in this StarClan-forsaken place, away from the strict and controlling life of the Clans!"

"No, I'm not happy!" Acornbranch growled, unsheathing his claws into the mud. He was nose-to-nose with the EarthClan cat. "You could have killed her, she was still recovering from her sickness!"

"And she's fine now, isn't she?" Cherrypaw mewed. "Look at her, she's perfectly healthy."

Moonpaw was the opposite of such a vision. Her pelt was matted and damp, and her ribs were showing through her disheveled fur. She was clearly not in good paws. Seemingly to prove a point, Moonpaw's stomach suddenly growled ravenously. She flinched in the pain of it, but held on close to Frostflurry.

Acornbranch couldn't hold on any longer. He sprung forward onto Cherrypaw, and yowled angrily. The other patrol cats pleaded for him to stop, but when Stonedust attempted to pick him off of the she-cat, he had a claw slashed across his face and his blood drawn. Fruitpaw didn't dare to even get close to the flurry of attacks.

Moonpaw looked away, shutting her eyes tightly. She just wanted to go back home.

Then it was silent.

Frostflurry caterwauled in terror seeing what was in front of her. Moonpaw forced herself to open her eyes and immediately regretting it. In front of her was Acornbranch staring down at the dead body of Cherrypaw with her blue eyes wide open, laying in a pool of her own blood. Her throat was bitten open, blood still trickling out.

Moonpaw screamed, drawing Acornbranch's attention. He turned to her, brown eyes wide in apology. "I… I didn' mean…"

Stonedust gripped the tom's scruff hard and dragged him back to the party. "Gullstar will have to deal with you when we get back to camp. And I don't think that it's going to be a pretty scene."

"Y-Yes, deputy Stonedust…"

Moonpaw feebly walked beside them through the forest again, leaning on Frostflurry's white fur, but rubbing off her dirt on the snow-cleanliness of her pelt.

Moonpaw's eyes were wide open in terror, and Acornbranch was trailing at the back of the group, directly behind Stonedust. He was clearly awaiting the terms of his punishment.

 _What is happening…?_ Moonpaw begged herself as the breeze gently sighed past them. She was away from the twolegplace at last, but at what terrible cost?


	16. Birds and Bees

**Chapter 16**

Acornbranch was confined to serving EarthClan for the next moon, doing whatever the cats bidded. He wasn't in camp any longer, and that relieved Moonpaw. She had just returned from a hunting patrol, successfully catching a rather large seagull for the Clan. She was washing herself thoroughly, glad to be back home.

Oakwish was being catered on by the medicine cats, both Wasppaw and Seedthorn.

Softcloud was sitting next to Moonpaw, helping groom her friend. "I'm glad you're back," the white she-cat mewed gently. "The Clan was worrying for you, you know. We thought we'd never find you. And my brother, well…" she purred in amusement. "You know how my brother is."

Moonpaw sighed and drew her tongue over Softcloud's spine. "I know. I hope he stays in EarthClan for a long time."

"Just a moon." Said Brookfrost wearily, who was casually eating on a raven. She took another bite and spat out a few feathers. Her tufted gray ears perked up. "So, what was it like when he killed Cherrypaw?"

"Brookfrost!" Softcloud snapped at her sister. She turned back to Moonpaw. "Don't mind, Brookfrost, she meant to say that she was sorry for what you had to go through."

The tabby scoffed. "I meant what I said, I want to know how that catnapper was murdered by my own brother, I'm curious is all."

Softcloud flicked her tail impatiently. "Don't be so insensitive." She continued to share tongues with the apprentice. Then she pondered aloud, "How come Stonedust hasn't recommended you to be a warrior yet? You're getting bigger and much stronger."

Moonpaw shuffled her paws uncomfortably. "I-I don't know. I'm just… too small I guess."

"Don't say that." Softcloud comforted with a warm purr. "You're a strong cat, and smarter than most. You're a lot like Bamboostep, you have so much love to give, and you're tricky."

Moonpaw forced a chuckle. "Th-Thanks, Softcloud." She stood up and turned to the nursery. "I'm going to check up on Oakwish."

"So nice that we're going to have kits soon." Softcloud rumbled loudly, her tail twitching. "Ah, I wonder what the kits will look like."

"You're not wondering about the non-existent father?" Brookfrost hissed.

Softcloud sighed at her sister. "Oakwish doesn't have to say who the father is. Perhaps she's just shy is all."

"I haven't seen her interacting with any toms here!" The tabby finished her raven and buried the bones. She snorted. "Iceflank, Acornbranch, and Swallowheart are the only suitable possibilities for her, everyone else already has a mate or is a medicine cat. So, pray tell who is the father of Oakwish's kits?"

Moonpaw felt like the she-cat was escalating the situation. "She doesn't have to say." Moonpaw reconfirmed Softcloud's answer earlier. "All queens have a right to not have to say who the father is."

Brookfrost hissed. "Whatever, we need more cats in the Clan. The amount of kits that have been born are unbearably minimal."

Softcloud smiled and tipped her head. "Maybe we can invite some kittypets or loners from the twolegplace."

Brookfrost didn't pursue the conversation any further. "I got a sunset patrol to go on." Then she trotted away with heavy paws.

Moonpaw sat down. "Do you want to go hunting with me later, Softcloud?"

The white she-cat nodded. "No, I'd rather stay here for the remainder of the day. I had to patrol all the way to the twolegplace with Brookfrost complaining about Smokepaw the whole time."

"What's wrong with Smokepaw?"

She shrugged. "I guess he's been flirting with her lately or something. I suppose it's been annoying her?" Then Softcloud chuckled, "But I've seen her nose and ears grow red whenever he's near or when I bring him up. I have a feeling they're going to be mates someday. And as for you and my brother…"

"I hate him." Moonpaw admitted. "I told him I wasn't interested and now…" she sighed. "I'm glad he's gone."

Softcloud nodded in understanding. "I see. Then… what about you and Wasppaw, hm?"

Moonpaw fluffed up defensively. "W-What!? H-He's a medicine cat, I can't be with him! He and I, we're j-just friends…" Something sunk in her chest when she admitted that.

Softcloud nudged herself closer to the apprentice. "I see you hang out with him a lot."

"I-I've just been sick, that's all! Besides, medicine cats can't have mates!"

The she-cat purred in amusement and yawned. "I'm turning in for the night. See you tomorrow, Moonpaw." She winked and then carefully trotted to the warrior's den.

Moonpaw huffed. She couldn't believe that Softcloud would think such a thing about her and Wasppaw! They were just friends, really close friends who have been together since his birth.

Moonpaw walked over to the nursery to see Oakwish having her belly pressed on by Seedthorn. He hummed and meowed to her, "You're expecting at least three kits. I hope you're ready, Oakwish."

The she-cat laughed a little and rested her head. She continued to eat a few leaves of something. "Thank you, Seedthorn."

"Any pains lately?" Wasppaw piped in questioningly.

She nodded. "Yes, a few contractions here and there."

Seedthorn frowned and then turned to Wasppaw. "It sounds like she's getting close to her kitting, and I have to go to the medicine cat meeting tomorrow night. Wasppaw, I'm going to station you here at the camp."

Wasppaw bowed his head. "Yes, Seedthorn."

Seedthorn looked back down at Oakwish. "Try to get some sleep. And don't worry about being alone for much longer, Sparrowfeather will be joining you in here in a few sunrises."

"She's expecting kits as well?" Oakwish questioned curiously, her whiskers twitching, clearly visible against her dark brown pelt. "I'd assume Swallowheart's kits?"

Wasppaw shrugged, "I'm not sure myself, she'd have to openly tell us herself. As with you and the father of your kits."

"R-Right." Oakwish suddenly seemed a little fidgety. She cleared her throat. "Well, I'd like to get some rest. You may take your leave now."

The medicine cats both dipped their heads respectfully to the queen. "As you wish." Seedthorn said. He turned around, and then spotted Moonpaw. He seemed to be having a hard time keeping his fur flat as he paraded past her, lashing his tail into Moonpaw's face.

Wasppaw followed after him, and smiled at Moonpaw, causing her heart to inexplicably race. She held her breath and looked at Oakwish. "Hi, Oakwish. Anything I get you?"

The queen shook her head. "Not as of now, Moonpaw. But I'm sure your mentor will give you chores for me tomorrow."

Moonpaw sat down next to the queen, eyeing her gigantic stomach. She tilted her head and mewed innocently, "How are kits made, Oakwish?"

Oakwish's eyes widened and her tail started to nervously flick back and forth. "O-Oh! W-Well… when one tom and one she-cat love each other… very much…" she blinked. "Are you sure Quietweed or Eveningfern never told you this?"

Moonpaw shook her head.

Oakwish took a deep breath and went on. "Okay, you should be feeling this yourself by now. Strange things… um, happen to she-cats' and toms' bodies once they hit apprenticeship or warriorship. They become curious, and…" she blushed hard, her nose a bright blood moon red. "Y-You'll figure it out when the time comes!" She lowered her head. "I-I'm very tired, I'm going to sleep, goodnight, Moonpaw!"

Moonpaw blinked. "Uh… goodnight, Oakwish…?"

Moonpaw walked out of the den and walked to Wasppaw who was happily eating a weasel. She smiled. He was a medicine cat, he would know where kits came from.

"Wasppaw?"

The golden tabby looked at her, a tail hanging out of his mouth. He swallowed hard. "Yes, Moonpaw?"

"How are kits made?"

Wasppaw blinked nervously and looked away. "U-Uh… when the time comes… um, you'll know what to do! I am… very tired, I'm going to bed, Moonpaw!" Then he scurried off with a half-eaten weasel in front of Moonpaw. She sighed in frustration. How come no cats would tell her where kits come from?

But she decided to trust what Wasppaw and Oakwish said, and that she will know when the time is right.


	17. From the Ashes Come Two Birds

**Chapter 17**

 **Author's Note: Not sure if you noticed, but there's a new cover now! I actually did the art myself and I don't think it's too shabby! If you can't tell, it's Moonpaw on the front. Okay, hope you like this chapter. :)**

Moonpaw watched as Sparrowfeather entered the nursery to a smiling, but weak Oakwish. Moonpaw turned to glance at the dying sunlight painting the sky a lovely shade of orange.

Seedthorn nodded to Wasppaw. "I'm heading out. I'm leaving Oakwish in your paws."

Wasppaw dipped his head. "I won't let you down."

Seedthorn then turned around and left through the fern entrance of the Clan. Wasppaw waved him goodbye with his tail. He turned to Moonpaw. "Moonpaw, could you make Oakwish comfortable?"

Moonpaw confirmed it and then went to the forest to begin gathering moss. She clawed off the tufts of bamboo trunks for their fluffy leaves, and eventually wandered to the towering trees to claw the moss gently off the winding roots.

Then she suddenly realized she hadn't felt this way in several moons. She sat down, enjoying the soft breeze on her fluffy pelt. She took a deep breath and sighed quietly. What was this calm feeling? She didn't know how to describe it, something felt lukewarm in her heart, a perfect temperature.

Suddenly, there was an ear-splitting shriek coming back from the direction of the camp. Moonpaw gasped, gathered the moss and bamboo ferns in her mouth and then sprinted toward HavenClan. A few moss clumps fell out along the way, but Moonpaw did not care.

She entered into the camp, and Wasppaw seemed frantic, standing at the entrance of the nursery. Moonpaw bounded over to him and set down the materials in her mouth to see Oakwish bleeding profusely from her hindquarters, screaming.

"Th-That's… a lot of blood…" Wasppaw breathed in anxiety. He whipped his head to Moonpaw, amber eyes wide in terror. "Moonpaw! I need your help, please stay with and comfort Oakwish while I head to the medicine den and gather the herbs I need."

"G-Got it…" Without hesitation, Wasppaw sprinted away with anxious and feverish haste. Moonpaw gently set her paw on Oakwish's heaving flanks and mewed gently, "D-Don't worry, Oakwish, it's going to be okay…"

"I see her…" she mewed with a weak and hoarse voice.

"See who?" Moonpaw asked.

Oakwish coughed it out, "I see her, I see my mother… she's telling me it'll be over soon. That… that I'll join her…" Then she screamed again as a kit slipped out onto the nest. Moonpaw gasped and instinctively began to lap at the kitten's wet pelt. She gently picked it up and set it down next to the queen.

Wasppaw pushed Moonpaw aside and demanded, "Lick the kits clean as they come out, I'll comfort her."

Moonpaw feebly nodded and did as told, Oakwish was struggling to breathe, and the blood continued to pour. Moonpaw was cleaning both liquid and blood off the kittens to no avail.

Oakwish stopped screaming by the time the fourth kit came out. The kits were mewling and learned to navigate to their mother's food source. They were quick to suckle on her, but Moonpaw had noticed that Oakwish had stopped breathing entirely.

Moonpaw stared at the limp dark brown queen. Her belly was protruding with kittens attached, almost all of them dark brown colors.

Wasppaw's gaze penetrated each of the kits. "She… she's dead."

Sparrowfeather entered the nursery and almost immediately her jaw simply dropped in a terrifying and silent plea to StarClan. "Wh… Wh-What happened… to Oakwish?"

Wasppaw was first to speak. "She died… likely of internal hemorrhaging."

Tears welling in her eyes, she looked down at the mewling and kneading kits to Oakwish's limp, dead body. "Did she name them at least?"

Wasppaw shook his head sadly. "No, she died before she could utter a name."

Moonpaw stared down at them each in turn. Two of them replicated her beautiful, dark brown fur. One was tortoiseshell and one more was a solid gray. "Who is going to name them?"

"Normally we'd have the father do so, but…" Wasppaw sadly shook his head. "She never named a father."

"Should we ask all the toms in the Clan?" Moonpaw queried.

Wasppaw turned away, "No, Oakwish never said anything for a reason, and we must respect that. The best option I have is to summon Gullstar to name each of them."

Moonpaw nodded. "Sounds good."

Wasppaw looked to Sparrowfeather, who still gazed in terror at Oakwish. She was likely wondering if she was going to end the same way. Moonpaw wanted to desperately comfort her, tell her that she'll be fine, but she wasn't completely sure. And suddenly, Moonpaw was terrified of having kits of her own one day as well.

Wasppaw left to slowly, and sadly walk toward Gullstar, who was casually speaking with Stondust.

The kits were quick to begin mewling for more milk, each of them crying in hunger. Sparrowfeather was quick to lay down and pick up the kits to press against her own stomach. After trial and error, the kits were finding their new food source. Sparrowfeather was a new mother, so the feeling must be strangely new and awkward to her.

Moonpaw looked down sadly at the wriggling kittens at Sparrowfeather's stomach. She flinched. How terrible would it be to tell them the truth of their mother? Did they ever have to know?

Gullstar came in quickly, Wasppaw trotting after her. The white and black dappled she-cat looked to Oakwish and then to the kits. She lowered her ears. "So it is true…"

"We figured you would be the best candidate to name them," Wasppaw mewed softly, "As Oakwish is… gone, and we have no idea who the father is."

Gullstar took a deep and shaky breath. "I understand." She took a while to gaze at each kit. Sparrowfeather blinked up at her leader.

"I counted them, there's two she-cats and two toms."

Gullstar crouched down. She sniffed a dark brown tabby kitten, a she-kit. "I shall bestow the name of this kit to be Pheasantkit." The other brown kit was a tom. "This will be Oakkit, named after his mother." There were two more. She nodded to the last two. "The tortoiseshell she-kit will be Doekit, and the pale gray tom shall be Egretkit."

"Those are all lovely names, Gullstar." Purred Sparrowfeather. "I might have to let you name Swallowheart and I's kits as well."

Gullstar looked away with a sad gaze. "I had to think a long time for those names, and I do not want the duty to befall me of naming kits unless they are of my own, such as Frostflurry and Eveningfern."

Moonpaw blinked in surprise. Eveningfern was Gullstar's daughter? This was news to her. This would make Wasppaw to be Gullstar's direct grandson. Not only that, but Softcloud is the daughter of Frostflurry, therefore making Softcloud a cousin to Wasppaw. She shrugged it off. It didn't matter as of now, of course her Clanmtes were related.

Sparrowfeather sighed. "I suppose so. I'm just so bad with names!"

Gullstar dipped her head. "I will leave you to your new addition of kits. I must inform the Clan of Oakwish's demise and the arrival of the new kits."

As the leader left, Moonpaw looked to Wasppaw sadly. "Didn't… the same thing happen to Littleheart?" Moonpaw never met her father's mate, but she heard so much about the she-cat. From what she knew, Littleheart was a seal-pointed cat from the twolegplace that met Bamboostep and followed him into the Clan.

Wasppaw shrugged. "From what Seedthorn told me, yes."

"All cats old enough to cut through bamboo, gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." Gullstar's voice sounded mournful, as though she did not want to relay the bad news. The cats were quick to begin gathering. Moonpaw watched as the leader took a deep breath and meowed, "Oakwish has kitted, but she has died of blood loss." A few cats gasped in shock. "All the kits have survived, but as there is no named father, I was forced to name them. Their names are Pheasantkit, Oakkit, Doekit, and Egretkit." Then she raised her head and mewed a long and mournful wail.

The Clan followed suit. Rubbleflight and Softbranch were dragging Oakwish's body to the center of the camp. Wasppaw had already rubbed the herbs on her fur to cover the stench of death.

Gullstar continued, "Oakwish was a beloved warrior, and she will not be forgotten." Gullstar bounded down from the rock and nuzzled Oakwish's fur in mourning. Others were quick to follow, but Moonpaw and Wasppaw felt as though they had no right to do so, as they did not know her all that well.

Moonpaw hung her head. Wasppaw was found shaking uncontrollably. He whispered, "If Seedthorn was here to help… I… no, I mustn't blame this on my mentor." He looked up to Moonpaw, tears dripping down from his dark amber eyes. "This is my fault! If I had studied a little bit more, then… th-then I'd have been able to save her!"

Moonpaw pressed her head against the taller tom's soft, but tear soaked chest. She raised a white paw to wrap around him. Wasppaw wailed and set his chin on top of the she-cat's head. He continued to blabber incoherently about how he could have saved her.

"Wasppaw…" she mewed softly. A cool breeze blew by. Moonpaw nudged herself closer to him. "It's okay. These things happen."

"What am I going to tell Seedthorn? That I let Oakwish die?"

Moonpaw hugged him tightly. "No, Wasppaw…" she swallowed hard. "I… I'll tell him."

 **Note: An egret is a type of japanese bird. Also, yes, the "weird" names I occusionally such as "Shisoheart" or "Rhubarbpaw" or even "Bamboostep," those are all things that are actually native to Japan and the island of Aoshima.**

 **Also, I'll be going on my honeymoon in a year from now to Japan and hopefully visit Aoshima to get some more research for this fanfic. Okay, I love you guys~**


	18. There Goes One

**Author's Note: Sorry about being late to upload! I'm the middle of finals week and I'm trying my hardest to graduate high school. On top of that, I got a wedding and honeymoon to plan, plus buying an apartment and getting a real job. (Besides youtube)**

 **But I'm going to keep trying my best for all of you!**

 **Chapter 18**

The kits were barely beginning to learn their words, Pheasantkit liked to be all over the place, bouncing around with her sister, Doekit.

Moonpaw watched the kits were a longing gaze, as though she wanted kits of her own eventually. She sighed and rested her head on her paws. Why was she thinking such things? She was only an apprentice. She shouldn't be thinking about kits as of now. She only chance she currently had at having any mates was either in Fishpaw or Smokepaw, and neither of them were interested in her.

The last hope she had was Acornbranch and she pushed him away. She stuck out her tongue. She hated him anyway. The very thought of bearing _his_ kits made her claws curl into the cool earth.

"Wait up, Oakkit!" Egretkit cried out as he tried to catch up to his brother with tiny little paws.

Wasppaw purred and sat down next to Moonpaw. "It's almost like the whole Clan is their parents."

Moonpaw shrugged. "I guess. Our paws are going to be so much more full when Sparrowfeather has her kits as well. The nursery is going to be unbearably crowded!"

Wasppaw chuckled in amusement and continued to gaze at the kits. He smiled warmly. "We're going to have even more soon. I've seen Smokepaw eyeballing Brookfrost. It doesn't take a mouse-brain to figure out that she secretly reciprocates his feelings for her. Even if she is a little older."

Moonpaw blinked. "I wonder if I'll have kits some day…"

"Age gaps aren't really an issue." Wasppaw pointed out. "My mother and father were mentor and apprentice."

She blushed and looked away, at anyone except for the eligible suitor toms in her Clan. Then she found her mind wandering toward the charming and charismatic Spottednose. Would it be frowned upon if she were take a mate from another Clan? She did suppose that HavenClan needed more warriors, and hopefully they wouldn't be too selective.

She shook her head. No, he was in MortalClan. Or was Moonpaw just being too picky?

Suddenly, Softcloud and Quietweed and Fishpaw barged into the Clan camp. Softcloud panted, "MortalClan… coming!"

Gullstar perked her ears. "For what?"

"Kits!" Quietweed hissed. "Briarstrike is demanding we give him his kits!"

Gullstar's blue eyes widened. "W...What? You're saying that Briarstrike was the father of Oakwish's kits?"

Fishpaw nodded, despite how tired he was. He was quick to be suddenly pushed aside along with the slamming scent of brine and ocean. In his place was now Briarstrike walking in with Brindlestar and Thornfeather.

"I have come for my kits." The dark brown tabby demanded.

"We have no right to give them to you." Stonedust hissed at the tom with bared teeth.

Brindlestar hissed in return. "We have come for our kits, and that is final!"

Doekit huddled close to her siblings. "Who's that?"

Their adoptive mother came in and swept her tail over them protectively. Sparrowfeather glared at the intruding cats with cold eyes, the coldest that Moonpaw had ever seen from the she-cat. "You'll have to kill me to get to them."

Swallowheart stepped in front of his mate. "And you'll have to kill me before hurting my mate."

Thornfeather took a step forward, "Then with pleasure."

"Stop." All the cats turned to Gullstar, who brushed herself past Stonedust. She looked as though her words were stuck in her throat. "We understand that you have recently lost a kit, and I am deeply sorry for that. We also understand that Oakwish has died, and that leaves her kits with no parent. That is, until you have stepped in, Briarstrike."

He stayed stoically still.

The leader went on. "But we need our kits as well. Perhaps we can come to an agreement?"

Sparrowfeather's eyes widened. "Gullstar, no!"

"We will give you one kit to choose from. Then you must leave our territory immediately."

Thornfeather backed off. Briarstrike looked slightly pleased, and somewhat accomplished. "Thank you for your patronage, Gullstar. Let me see my kits."

Swallowheart was pushed aside by the MortalClan tom. As the tabby passed by, Swallowheart hissed frostily. Briarstrike stared down at each of his kits with a hungry gaze as though he were a fox given the option of a meal. "You all look so strong." He mewed softly like a father. The kits were each shivering in fear. He crouched down. "I am Briarstrike, your father."

"No!" Egretkit mewled, "Swallowheart is!"

The blue-gray tabby looked pleased at what Egretkit had claimed.

Briarstrike shook his head. "No, I am, I have no reason to lie to you." He stood up tall again. "Now, which of you would like to come join your family in MortalClan?"

None of the kits moved, if anything, they got closer to Sparrowfeather. Sparrowfeather glared at Briarstrike with unbearably cold yellow eyes. "Looks like none of them want anything to do with your 'family'."

"Are you sure no one wants to come?" Briarstrike reaffirmed.

They mewed and turned away from him.

He frowned. "Then I will have to choose one of you myself."

The kits all squealed in desperation to not leave. But Briarstrike had none of it, he was quick to swoop down and grasp Pheasantkit's scruff. "I want her. What is her name?"

"Pheasantkit." Gullstar said frostily. "Now leave."

"No!" Pheasantkit screamed loudly, "I want to stay with my siblings! I don't want to leave! I want to be with Sparrowfeather!"

"You're going to have a much better mother." Thornfeather mewed, "Shisoheart will be good to you."

"I don't want Shizohurt to be good to me!" Pheasantkit wailed, completely butchering the MortalClan queen's name. "I want Sparrowfeather!" Without another word, the MortalClan cats turned around with Pheasantkit in Briarstrike's jaws while the kit continued to squeal for her siblings. The scent of brine faded away, but the initial shock of what Gullstar had done did not

Moonpaw's eyes were wide open in complete shock. How could Gullstar just let them do that? They came by, demanded for kits, and then left the Clan. That was weakness and only weakness. Gullstar simply let herself get pushed around by a warrior from another Clan.

She looked to the black and white she-cat, who looked suddenly ancient. Just moments ago, she appeared beautiful, strong, and confident, but then it quickly ebbed away when one of her future warriors were snatched away.

Moonpaw felt a hiss rise in her throat, she wanted to challenge her leader. She swallowed it back. What's done is done, and the word of the leader is warrior code. Gullstar had made a decision, and she assumed that her decision was what was best for the Clan.

Fishpaw brushed past Moonpaw and hissed, "I can' believe that she just let one of her Clanmates be taken away right from under her nose!"

Quietweed sighed and pressed close to her son.

Moonpaw felt the fluffy pelt of Wasppaw brush her own fur. She gazed upwards to the honey-colored gaze of Wasppaw. He sighed. "I know what you're thinking, Moonpaw. But I believe that Gullstar did what she thought was best for HavenClan." He blinked sadly. "If she had turned them away, they likely would have declared war over this."

"Briarstrike is intimidating." Moonpaw shuddered.

Wasppaw nodded. "I understand that. Don't tell anyone," he whispered, "but I was talking to Rhubarbpaw and he said that Thornfeather is growing old, and her bones are beginning to give out. Cranestorm thinks that Briarstrike will become the next deputy."

"Even after he had an affair with Oakwish?" Moonpaw questioned.

"He asserted his dominance to HavenClan right in front of Brindlestar." Wasppaw mewed quietly. "Briarstrike is playing a very dangerous game right now, but it seems as though he's winning."

Moonpaw curled her tail over her paws as Stonedust passed by, casting a strange glance to her direction. The she-cat licked her paw and swiftly drew it over her ears. She brought the conversation to a close.

Stonedust looked back to her. With a eerily kind smile, he meowed, "It's time for training, Moonpaw."

She flinched and stood up slowly. "A-Alright, Stonedust."

"Don't let him push you." Wasppaw said with a growl tinging his voice, just loud enough for the deputy to hear. Stonedust frowned. The medicine cat apprentice continued. "I don't have the herbs to spare."

Stonedust flicked his tail and turned back to his apprentice with a terrifyingly warm gaze. "Let's go."


	19. Misuse of Abuse

**Chapter 19**

"Use your hind paws!" He growled.

Moonpaw forced herself to get up, the wounds stinging her flesh like fire ants in the summertime. She blinked up her pale yellow eyes at him. He growled again and swiped a forepaw at her weakly. She flinched away, feeling blood being drawn from her cheek.

"You're still too weak, you can't even take the weakest of hits."

"I-I know…"

He snorted. "You are the most worthless warrior in all of HavenClan, you know that, right?"

"I… I know."

"The only hope you have is to bear kits for the rest of your days as a queen in the nursery." He bore his teeth. "But I'm sure you can't even do that."

The blue gaze continued to pierce into Moonpaw's head from behind her. Stonedust sat in front of her, completely unaware of the cat stalking them, at least so it seemed. He curled his tail over his paws. With heated silver eyes, he hissed, "Get up."

"Y-Yes, Stonedust…" Moonpaw stood up on wobbly legs. She looked up at him, pitifully. She wanted his pity, she wanted to stop training. She wanted his praise most of all, however. "I'll… try again."

"Good. At least you have the will of a warrior." He snorted and bent down to give his chest fur a cocky lick. "Even if it is only half of what it should be."

Moonpaw flinched at his words but she planted her paws into the ground, keeping his advice in mind. She dug her legs into the muddy dirt, and he charged toward her. She held her breath and stood still as he charged into her to try and knock her over. Despite how hard she dug her paws in, she was slammed over, she shouted in alarm and quickly fell into the mud, dirtying her beautiful silver fur.

She weakly looked up at Stonedust's disappointed face. He shook his head. "That's going to bruise badly."

The gaze continued to bear into her skull. Was it some prey curiously watching them?

He turned around and flicked his tail. "I'm going back to camp. You stay out here and hunt until sundown as your punishment for incompetence."

Moonpaw dipped her head and shut her eyes. "Yes, Stonedust."

He padded away, and the drizzling rain continued in a gentle fashion. But they stung her bloody wounds like thorns. She stood still for a while, covered in mud. Moonpaw carried herself to a patch of green grass nearby and sat down. She began to groom herself in an attempt to wash off the blood and dirt while parting her fur over bruises.

"I didn't think it was that bad."

She blinked and looked up. From the top of a tree sat Iceflank covered in shadows. He must have been there for a while, his fur looked soaked.

He leapt down gracefully. She blinked in alarm, realizing how similar his body shape was to Bamboostep's. Were they perhaps brothers?

The tom sat down in the grass as well and began to groom Moonpaw's fur. Her spine tingled in shock as his rough tongue began to scrape at the mud, blood, and dirt. The pale gray tom pulled away. "Is he always that rough?"

Moonpaw turned away. At least someone saw her plight, she could finally open up to someone about her problems, but where to start? Perhaps by answering his question. "Ever since he became deputy…"

"Deputy…" Iceflank muttered. He stood back up. "When we were 'paws, I saw him brutally destroy and mutilate his prey. He was terrifying on the battlefield. There was something dark within him that he never wanted others to see. Seedthorn and Honeybee tried to give him prescribed herbs to relax him, but it didn't work. I don't remember who his mentor was, but I know that he was taught how to keep his evil urges under control. He was fine for a while. But… it seems to have resurfaced."

Moonpaw blinked in surprise.

"The rumour that he's hurting you has been floating around the camp for a long while now." The tom blinked sympathetically. "I'm sorry about what you've been going through. No cat should be enduring that kind of abuse, physical or verbal." He narrowed his blue eyes. "I want you to inform Gullstar." Moonpaw opened her mouth to object, but he continued, "And if you don't, then I will. So don't bother trying to hide it."

She blinked and looked away. "I understand. I will try to tell her what's going on."

"You're supposed to hunt until sunset I've heard?"

Moonpaw nodded.

Iceflank sighed. "Let me help you."

Her eyes widened. "Th-Thank you, Iceflank!"

Then she suddenly realized that she wished Iceflank was her mentor instead.

* * *

They returned with two mice and a seagull to the camp. Stonedust looked slightly impressed, but also a little peeved at the same time that Iceflank helped her. He appeared as though he wanted to say something snarky, but because they were in a camp and public setting, he had to hold his tongue.

Iceflank glared at the deputy and then looked back down to Moonpaw. "He won't be doing that much longer." He meowed as he set down the seagull into the fresh-kill pile.

Moonpaw internally sighed in relief. It won't be much longer, and if she was lucky, she could get Iceflank as her mentor instead. He wasn't mentoring Softcloud any longer, he was kind enough to be a good fit for her, but also strict enough to make sure she gets her education complete.

He nosed toward Gullstar, who had just entered her den. "Go talk to her. I'll distract Stonedust. Tell me if she needs an eye witness."

Moonpaw nervously nodded and followed after Gullstar. Gullstar blinked up at the apprentice standing outside in the rain. She purred, "Moonpaw, what is it you need?"

"I need to talk to you in private."

The leader shrugged. "Come into my den then."

Moonpaw skittishly began to follow after the she-cat deeper into the leader's den. The she-cat stared at the silver apprentice with curious blue eyes. "What is it you wanted to speak to me about Moonpaw?"  
Moonpaw realized she needed to choose her words very carefully. Any slip up and everything will begin to tumble even further downhill into a pit darker than ever. Moonpaw sat down and covered her paws with her tail in an attempt to cover up her terribly shivering paws.

"Gullstar…" She swallowed hard. "You know how you made Stonedust my mentor as well as the deputy?"

Gullstar nodded, urging her to go on.

Moonpaw took a deep breath and continued. "W-Well, ever since… B-Bamboostep died… have you noticed I have been coming back with more wounds than normal?"

"Yes, I have…" she muttered, she cocked her head, seemingly unsure of where his conversation could possibly end up going.

"W-Well, it's because… Stonedust… is being very, _very_ rough with me during training. When he became deputy he had a sudden switch in personality." She shuffled her paws. "And… he stared to unsheathe his claws during training. He's been saying mean things to me as well. L-Like… that I'm going to be a worthless warrior a-and I'd be better off as a queen having litters over and over again." Moonpaw proceeded to clench her claws into the earth with a sudden and unexpected burst of anger. "Iceflank wanted me to tell you. That is all I have to say."

Gullstar was quiet for a while, and she even noticed that her leader's hackles were raised. But they were quick to reflatten against her spine. She stood up tall and mewed softly, "He's your mentor and he is training you."

"W… What?"

"As training progresses, they are supposed to go harder on you. Did you expect Stonedust to paw-feed you through your entirety of training?" She stood up and refused to make eye contact with the apprentice, who's eyes were wide in complete terror. Gullstar continued in a strangely calm and relaxed voice. "Of course not. I wouldn't expect him to."

"B-But… don't you think it's strange? How he suddenly switched? I-I remember very clearly that he said-"

"I am sure he is only simulating what a warrior on the battlefield would taunt you with." The leader brushed past the dumb-struck cat. "I am sorry that you believe he is being too hard on you, but I think that he is trying to make you the best warrior you can be." Suddenly, she gave a cold glance at Moonpaw. It was unexpected. Moonpaw shuddered. "I have duties to attend to. Goodnight, Moonpaw."

The she-cat exit the den with Moonpaw following after. She sat herself down and stared down at her snowy white paws in shock. Gullstar has been completely unreasonable lately. She has given up a kitten, however, that was the sake of avoiding a war. But now she had blatantly ignored Moonpaw's concerns.

The apprentice felt something wet drip from her face and was quick to realize that she was crying. Moonpaw was stuck for a little while longer with her cruel mentor of a cat. Then she realized that Stonedust was a poor excuse for a cat. He wasn't a cat, he was an _Akuma_ from the Youkai Forest.

Iceflank approached her. "Did she hear you out?"

Moonpaw sniffled and looked up sadly with wide and wet yellow eyes. "No."

 **Author's Note: Been having family week and graduating High School today! Hooray! I'm married now too! That's... weird but okay**

 **Anyway, for those of you not sure of** **terminology** **that I may use in this, I'm going to lay it out here right now.**

 **Yōkai (妖怪)** are ghosts in Japanese mythology that are usually mischievous and occasionally malevolent. In WOA, instead of the Dark Forest, there is the Yōkai forest.

 **Akuma(悪魔)** is the japanese word for "demon" in english. However, if you wanted to be specific, it is an evil fire spirit. These are what the cats call the residents of the Yōkai Forest.

 **Sensei (先生)** means "teacher" in Japanese, a very simple word. But the cats of WOA rarely ever use this term. They prefer to say "mentor".

 **I have been honestly considering replacing a few warrior terms for older Japanese terms. Such as replacing "Mentor" for "Sensei" or "warrior" for "samurai." Although it is a bit late, I could go back and change the vocab if it is better desired? Let me know! Don't forget to rate and review though~**

 **I'll add more to this list if I have to.**


	20. Loss of a Clanmate

**Chapter 20**

Fruitpaw, Fishpaw, and Smokepaw had all done their warrior assessments, and they were ready to get their names. However, Moonpaw found herself falling asleep, and only woke up when Waspaw poked her in the ribs. With a loud yawn, she looked up to his honey colored eyes and blinked slowly.

"Why'd you fall asleep?" Asked Wasppaw with concern tracing the light in his eyes.

Moonpaw yawned again with deliberately loudness. She glanced at Fishpaw, or whatever his name was at the moment, and shook her head. "Just that I'm not very appreciative of kits who like to bully me when I was little. His ceremony does not matter to me." She flexed her claws. "All of Quietweed's kits are brats."

"That's rude of you to say." Wasppaw mewed. "Although I do understand why you're upset with them." He tilted his head. "Normally you're a lot… sweeter and quieter about your opinions."

Moonpaw licked her paw and drew it over her ear casually. "Sorry. I suppose I'm just… tired. Stonedust had me do night training."

"What? That's… not a thing." Wasppaw circled her, his giant golden plume of a tail swooping around her gracefully. "Moonpaw, a rumour has been going around that-"

"He's the deputy. He does what he wants." Moonpaw echoed the words of her mentor. She decided to quickly cut off the conversation topic before Wasppaw interrogated her any further. "So, what are their names now?"

Wasppaw looked slightly uncomfortable about the topic change, but seemed to go with it. "Fishwhisker, Fruitpetal, and Smokestorm. Perhaps you should greet them by their new names?"

"No." Moonpaw locked eyes with Stonedust who was conversing with Swallowheart at the moment. His cold eyes pierced into her heart and she held back a shudder. She had to be strong, she didn't have to deal with him for much longer. If her foster littermates had become warriors, it was only a matter of days for her to become a warrior herself and fight for her Clan.

Wasppaw flicked an ear. "There's nothing in the warrior code that says anything about having more than two medicine cats."

Moonpaw ignored him and ran to her mentor who was waiting with an angrily twitching tail. She followed him into the brush and quickly disappeared.

* * *

Oakkit bursted into the medicine den with his siblings following after him, Doekit looked terrified while Egretkit looked confused. Wasppaw looked down at the kits with warmth. "Hello, kits. Did your mother let you come into here?"

"No!" Oakkit wailed, "It's an emergency!"

"Something is wrong with Sparrowfeather!" Egretkit said with alarm.

Doekit simply nodded.

Wasppaw stood up as he heard a screech of pain coming from the nursery. He turned around to see Seedthorn simply brooding in the corner, not hearing a word that the kits uttered, or he simply didn't care.

Wasppaw turned back to the kits. "I'll help her. Go to Swallowheart and tell him what's going on."

The kits were quick to agree and before Wasppaw headed to the queen, he gathered moss, twigs, and a few ginger roots. He burst into the den to see Sparrowfeather breathing heavily. Wasppaw set his paw gently on her flank and set down the sticks and ginger roots in front of the queen's brown muzzle. He examined her body. Her breathing was rapid, but nothing abnormal so far.

 _Please, StarClan, let this go well… the Clan cannot bear another heartbreak._

"Sparrowfeather, I want you to control your breathing." He swallowed hard, unsure he was doing the proper thing. Sparrowfeather was about to object but he quickly shoved the stick into her jaws. "Breathe slowly through your nose and bite down on the stick when it begins to hurt. Don't be afraid to grab another one if you snap that first one. I brought multiples for that reason. If you run out, I'll have an apprentice fetch another."

Sparrowfeather spoke shakily through her stick, "I-Isn't Seedthorn supposed to be helping me with this?"

Wasppaw was quiet. "He can't help right now. He's busy."

The fear gripped at the tom's already cracked heart. Everytime he has been in charge of helping some cat, they almost always died at his paws. He has yet to truly save a life. Sure, he helped save Oakwish's kits, but he planned to save both the kits and the mother this time. He refused to let himself be a disgrace to the Clan once more. The flicker in Sparrowfeather's eyes betrayed the fear at his lack of experience and success. Wasppaw did not blame her.

Then she screamed at a caterwaul. The kits outside squealed in terror and scrambled to get closer to their adoptive father.

He heard Moonpaw asking what was going on as she entered the camp, speaking to Swallowheart. He told her about how Sparrowfeather is currently kitting, and was quick to ask about her wounds.

As usual, Stonedust gave a rather quick excuse.

Wasppaw swallowed his rage and continued to assist Sparrowfeather. Two kits had already emerged, mewling desperately for food. Wasppaw licked them both off and set them at Sparrowfeather's stomach. She quickly dropped the shattered stick in her mouth and looked down with tears glistening in her eyes.

"They're beauti-" she was quickly interuptted by another gasp of pain.

"Almost there, just one more." Wasppaw comforted. "Give one more push."

Sparrowfeather emitted a silent gasp of pain as the final, and the largest kit flopped into the bamboo shavings and feathers of a nest. Wasppaw licked it clean and gently pushed it to its mother's stomach.

The queen was panting and she began to quietly lick at the kits. Wasppaw rolled each one over to get a glance at their underparts to confirm genders. He nodded and exit the den to see the anxiously pacing Swallowheart. His ears perked up. "I-Is she okay? How are the kits?"

Wasppaw found himself nearly bursting with the widest of smiles. He never realized how amazing it was to actually assist someone. He was a true medicine cat. "Come take a look at your beautiful daughters."

"Daughters!?" He gulped. "That's going to be a pawful…" Then he smiled and brushed past the golden tom to his mate in the den. Moonpaw was sitting patiently in the camp, grinning proudly at Wasppaw.

Wasppaw tried to hold back his hot blush, thankful for the hick fur to conceal himself. "Hello, Moonpaw." He gazed at her up and down, spotting several long scratches and faint traces of bloodstains. He also happened to notice a brand new notch in her ear, rather deep as well. "I want you to come to my den."

Moonpaw stood up quickly, lashing her tail, "A-Are you talking about my wounds?"

He nodded.

"I-It's…" she glanced at her mentor, speaking to Gullstar. She seemed to harshly swallow. "It's just blood from some prey."

"I thought you went out for battle training with Stonedust." Wasppaw said with a stately tone of voice. "I was sure you weren't hunting." He sniffed her fur, for some reason feeling heat emanating from her. He stood back and tilted his head. "And I don't smell any prey on you."

"We uh, we went by the beach at the twolegplace. I think the ocean brine made it fade away. A-And it was a rather messy kill, haha…" She folded back her ears, as though hiding the notch.

No brine scent either was what the medicine cat observed. He blinked curiously and decided to stop interrogating her. "Come by anyway, I saw a deep notch in your ear." He narrowed his honey-golden eyes. "And I know that's brand new."

Before she could object, he swept past her. Why did Moonpaw have to lie all the time about her training with Stonedust? The rumours were floating around even more, and Wasppaw felt like he needed to confirm them somehow. Sitting in the medicine den and tending to her wounds wasn't going to do anything about his obvious abuse to his apprentice.

He spotted Seedthorn staring at him from the back of the den with eyes glowing dimly in the darkness. He stood up and slowly approached his apprentice. "What did you do?"

"Your job." Wasppaw found himself saying coldly. He didn't have enough time to stop himself, but letting himself speak his mind felt empowering. He stood tall, towering over the old medicine cat.

Seedthorn's ears were flattened against his skull. "No, I'm rather glad of your treatment to Sparrowfeather to be completely blunt, but to your unadulterated kindness to that… thing…"

"What do you mean, _old cat?_ " He sneered at his mentor, feeling his fur begin to fluff out.

"She is an Akuma," Seedthorn hissed, "only here to bring misfortune to all of us. I have been told that if she is killed, then all these bad times will cease. You were not around, but the dawn she was brought into our Clan, only curses have befell us. You would not know, Wasppaw, you only know of curses. You will see the light of my wisdom the day that she dies."

"Bad things happen," Wasppaw growled firmly. "Correlation and causation are two entirely different things."

"So you are telling me that it is not her fault that Cherrypaw kidnapped her and forced Acornbranch to serve EarthClan for the rest of his life?"

"Yes!"

He hissed coldly. "You are not my apprentice, nor my Clanmate."

Wasppaw said nothing.

"I wish that you died instead of Nightkit."

Wasppaw felt the sting of his words attack his heart. "That's not fair of you to say."

"Hazelkit would have been a perfect apprentice, she would actually listen to me. Unlike you."

Wasppaw's claws unsheathed and dug themselves into the dirt. "Don't say that. Not when Eveningfern is asleep directly behind you."

"I will say what I want! I'm the medicine cat, the prohet of Star-"

He lost control in that moment, the fact that he chose to disrespect both of his deceased sisters and his mother was enough to send him into a flying rage. He yowled and slashed his forepaw forward. All he saw was red at the moment and he only wanted one thing; for Seedthorn to see reason.

The red faded away, but not entirely. Wasppaw's hackles lowered and he gasped in shock. He looked ahead at the old tom in front of him. The cheek of Seedthorn was entirely covered in a sickening blood red. It splattered on Wasppaw's paws, and he unsheathed his claws. "S-Seedthorn!" He gasped in alarm. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't-"

But then the tom began to laugh. He smiled at his apprentice with baring yellow teeth, blood still pouring from his cheek. "I was right, that she-cat was corrupting you by the sunrise, we must detain her as soon as possible."

"No, we have to detain you, Seedthorn."

Seedthorn continued to laugh until he fell onto the ground laughing hysterically, waking up Eveningfern. The old queen looked down at him blearily. "What's going on…?"

Wasppaw swallowed back his tears and pity for his beloved mentor. "I'm putting him in the elder's den."

Autor's Note: This was an emtionally intense chapter, I know. The thing about Seedthorn is that he's like a much more demented Goosefeather. (Plus he has a medical condition I'm not willing to reveal until much much later.) Wasppaw still adores his mentor, Seedthorn taught him a lot of important things, but ever since Seedthorn had that bad-mojo vision of Moonpaw, things sort of went downhill.

Anyway, I have a task for everyone! I need help coming up with names for Sparrowfeather's three new daughters! Swallowheart is a gray tabby and Sparroweather is a pale brown mottled tabby. So, you can also have fun with their pelt descriptions. I'll choose the three I like the most! (Don't forget names!)


	21. New Moon (Seedthorn's Prophecy)

**Chapter 21**

Seedthorn had been summoned the previous night to the Starstones to speak with StarClan alone without Wasppaw in the way.

The journey was cold to his aching bones, he knew he was growing old, but he needed to continue acting as HavenClan's medicine cat. Wasppaw wasn't ready.

He sat down in front of the wooden bowls and tall stones with twoleg pelts tied on to them. He took a deep breath and sat down, his paw barely in the bowl as it brushed an fresh peach.

Within heartbeats, he snapped open his eyes to smell sea brine and blood, but he dismissed it. In front of him was a thick ocean mist, and Seedthorn was standing on the twoleg beach. He blinked as he spotted a tall figure walking closer to him. Soon enough, a tall, sleek gray tom with ocean green eyes looked down at him. He smelled of rotten fish and starlight.

He realized that this was a MortalClan cat. He gasped and bowed his head low to the ancient leader. "Oceanstar, why have you come to me? A lowly medicine cat of HavenClan?"

The tom stared at him with calm eyes and pure white pupils glinting like cold moons on a leaf-bare evening. "Because the monstrosity is in your Clan."

"M-My Clan? No, no, every Clanmate is wonderful and valuable to me! I heal them, they are all my children." He found his hackles bristling. "You're that fiendish leader of MortalClan. Your legacy will go down in history as a murderer and a she-cat molesting tom." He narrowed his eyes. "You forced a medicine cat to become your mate, lest you kill everyone."

"I was commanded to by StarClan!" Oceanstar hissed, but his gaze continued to slip back and forth. He straightened himself. "Moonpaw."

"Moonpaw? What about Moonpaw?"

"Haven't you wondered why she's so weak and puny? She's useless as a warrior, and you have already chosen an apprentice. Only a kittypet could be so weak."

"We don't know her origins, you cannot say that."

"Yes I can." Oceanstar purred as he comfortingly began to wrap himself around the medicine cat, his green eyes glowing. "I am of StarClan, I know all."

Seedthorn flinched at his words. Something seemed off and ominous about them, but he knew he was telling the truth. StarClan had eyes everywhere, they got to see all, the birth and the circumstance of every kit and the upcoming death of every warrior. Seedthorn froze up. "You are saying she is a kittypet."

"Why would I lie about such a thing?" He purred quietly. His green eyes were gleaming like an oncoming sea storm. Yet they were so warm and hypnotizing. It's almost no wonder he clawed his way up to leadership with those powerful eyes. Seedthorn peeled his eyes reluctantly away from his gaze. Oceanstar went on as his abnormally long tail wrapped around Seedthorn's back leg like a slithering serpent. "And don't you think it a tad odd about how all these bad things began to happen only as soon as that moonstruck kit was taken into the Clan?"

Seedthorn could not deny that. Everything was going well, no one was dying, there was no sickness and many kits were being born. Anyone that did die had a comfortable and quick passing, much like Honeybee.

Seedthorn turned back to the leader. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I told Gullstar to do the same thing…" Oceanstar sadly mewed, "But she refuse to listen to me. But I know that you'll listen to me. You're a smart and old medicine cat, and never before have you seen misfortune as vile as this." He narrowed his green eyes. "Moonpaw is a kittypet, yes. She is a relic and a curse from my old Clan, and fate happened to bring her vileness to your home. There is only one way to rid yourself of all this misfortune, Seedthorn."

"What is it?" Seedthorn asked the StarClan tom, hiding the excitement in his voice. He was playing a dangerous game with this old cat and he had to be careful. But he had gotten into StarClan for a reason, a reason unknown, but a reason.

Oceanstar smirked. "Kill her."

"Simple enough. She won't be missed." Seedthorn was quick to accept this. She was weak, puny, and there was no room for a kittypet or a curse for that matter in his Clan. HavenClan was meant to be as its title suggested; a haven. A safe place for cats, and HavenClan or any Clan was not safe from her. But he knew he had to dig deeper. "How is she related to you?"

"Morning light is gaining." Oceanstar said as he cut off the subject. He turned around, soon disappearing in the ocean fog once more.

"I won't kill her immediately." Seedthorn hissed as he felt dawn warming his fur. "I will watch her and make sure she becomes a use. If her use outweighs her curse, she will stay alive."

Oceanstar's voice chuckled. "We'll see about that, Seedthorn."

 **Author's Note: Hey! I need help coming up with warrior names for Moonpaw! At first I was going to do Moonwillow but then I decided the -willow suffix doesn't really fit her character (unless you guys do like that one!) I was debating on other names such as Moonsap, Moonbreeze, Moonspeck and so on, so I really need help! Thanks for reading, guys!**


	22. Floundering

**Chapter 22**

Gullstar glared down at Seedthorn. Wasppaw seemed to have been quick to inform her of Seedthorn's apparent madness. Moonpaw shuffled her paws uncomfortably. Was this because of her? Was Wasppaw arguing with his mentor about Moonpaw once more? She watched the ceremony with a curious but cautious gaze.

"Seedthorn, you have shown yourself and the cats around you that are incompetent as a medicine cat. You have left nearly all of your tasks to your apprentice. Seedthorn, it may be involuntary, but we would like you to know that your Clan honors you and all the service you have given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest."

"No, you have to listen to me!" Seedthorn interrupted desperately. Moonpaw glanced a him. He was disheveled and his fur was a matted mess as though he hadn't groomed himself in moons. Wasppaw appeared somewhat disappointed about his mentor's descent into madness, but Moonpaw agreed that it must be done.

"We wish you many moons of rest, Seedthorn." Gullstar reaffirmed. She sat up straight. "Wasppaw, you have proven yourself a perfectly fine medicine cat on your own. On the next half moon, I am going with you to the Starstones to give you your name. But as of right now, you are a true medicine cat."

"Wasppaw! Wasppaw!"

"Wasppaw…" Moonpaw mewed sadly, looking directly at him. He radiated an aura of disappointment in himself as well as his mentor. She suddenly felt a hot wave of jealousy wash over her. Wasppaw was younger than her, it wasn't fair that he was going to become a full-fledged medicine cat before she became a warrior. Not counting the fact that medicine cat apprentices are supposed to apprentices for longer than usual for the amount they must learn. She quickly stole a glance at Stonedust and then looked away. She quickly realized that it wasn't Wasppaw's fault that Stonedust wanted a dummy to take out his psychopathic tendencies on. He wouldn't have that if she became a warrior.

"The vigil for Smokestorm, Fruitpetal, and Fishwhisker are also tonight. They may not speak until their mentors dismiss them from their vigil. Wish them luck. Clan meeting dismissed."

The cats scattered as Gullstar jumped down from the rock and trotted away.

Moonpaw was first to approach Wasppaw. She looked up at him and gulped at his massive height compared to her. She purred loudly and raised her tail. "Congratulations, Wasppaw."

"It doesn't feel like I deserve one." He looked away ashamedly. "I just condemned my mentor to the rest of his life to having ticks picked off his back by incompetent apprentices."

"Hey," Moonpaw joked, "I'm that apprentice as of right now!"

The golden tabby forced a chuckle but was quick to resume his sorrowful gaze. He sighed deeply and turned around. "I have herbs to restock on. Newleaf brings fresh plants for me to harvest."

"O-Oh… good luck then, Wasppaw." She smiled and shrugged.

Wasppaw didn't reply and with a tail dragging in the dirt, he went into the forest to begin his harvesting of herbs.

Moonpaw watched as Fishwhisker and his siblings went to the entrance to begin sitting their vigil, despite them whispering excitedly about it.

She restrained digging her claws into the dirt and sighed. It's been a long day, and she needed rest for the next cycle of abuse that Stonedust had to offer her the next sunrise. She slowly padded to the apprentice den, sighing at her loneliness. She was hoping that Egrekit and his siblings would become apprentices soon, but that was unlikely.

* * *

"Wake up, there's an attack!"

Moonpaw bolted awake and saw Frostflurry with splatters of red staining her beautiful white fur. She looked terrified, she turned back to the entrance, shuddering in terror. "We need more paws, they're trying to break into the nursery!"

 _The kits!_

Moonpaw scrambled to her paws and didn't need to be told twice. She rushed to the nursery to see Spottednose with Oakkit's scruff tight in his teeth. She gasped and rushed over to him to quickly headbutt him in the shoulder, he gasped and reeled back in dizziness. Moonpaw had to use her smallness to her advantage. She slipped around the tom and clung tightly to his back leg. He yowled in pain and turned to see who it was in shock.

"Moonpaw!" he gasped while wincing, "I can't fight you!"

Moonpaw didn't respond, she continued to clench tightly to his leg. She opened an eye to see in terror Tornfeather was holding Doekit. Moonpaw prayed to StarClan that someone would notice her and take the kit.

Swallowheart yowled and barreled at the deputy. They were quick to begin tussling for the kit. Doekit was still being held in her jaws, blood noticeably seeping from the wound that the she-cat was causing on her scruff. She screamed in pain, begging her to put her back in the nursery.

Spottednose managed to kick Moonpaw off his leg. "I really don't want to hurt you." He said sadly.

"Good thing I don't care then, you kit-stealing Akuma!" She slashed her forepaw to his face and felt her claws rip through flesh. She gasped when she felt something even more squishy slip through her paws. She stepped back to see blood covering Spottednose's entire half of his face. He yowled in pain and hissed.

"You're done it now, love!"

He tried to attack her, but she was too quick for him to properly land a hit. Moonpaw was constantly wondering through the fight how on Earth he could balance himself without a tail, and she chastised herself to wanting to bite it off if he did have one.

He did manage to land one scratch on him, but he eventually fleed from her completely. Moonpaw was heaving for breath until she heard a scream of complete terror. She turned around to where Tornfeather was and gasped at what she saw. Swallowheart lay completely limp, dead on the ground next to the bloodied and battered body of Tornfeather as well.

What stood between both of them, triumphant, was Briarstrike with bloody paws and a wailing Doekit in his teeth. Moonpaw gulped in terror seeing his smirk of satisfaction.

Fernpaw of MortalClan was screaming in terror. "I can't do this anymore!"

Brinefur hissed at HavenClan. "We've won this fight."

Gullstar stood tall, a large wound on her side. It was undoubtedly going to cause her to lose a life. She stood in front of the smirking Briarstrike. "You're despicable."

"Pheasantkit was lonely without her sister." Briarstrike said with terrifyingly calmness in his voice while he still held her quivering daughter.

Gullstar was snapping at this point. "You have an option right now, Briarstrike. Either you take Doekit and lose even more warriors in a bloody war, or put her down right now and repent for your actions. Is letting your deputy die really the cost you're willing to pay for a single kit?"

"Yes."

Gullstar growled low. "You are awful. Fine. I now declare war on MortalClan. Brindlestar nor you will escape this war alive."

"Says the one who lost two warriors in one night."

 _Two? Who else died besides Swallowheart?_

"I hate you!" Screamed Fruitpetal with tears streaming down her face. "You kill my brother! My Fishwhisker! He just became a warrior with us as well!"

"How sad." Briarstrike muttered unsympathetically. "We'll be taking our leave now."

"Tell your leader what Gullstar just said." Stonedust hissed with hackles raised higher than the Starstones. "We are at war. Now leave before we decide to attack once more."

The cats seemed prepared for another wind against the MortalClan cats. But they were a large group, and just their group was larger than all of HavenClan. It just just occurred to Moonpaw that they were severely lacking in warriors.

Briarstrike nodded to Brinefur, who then picked up Tornfeather over his back. He whisked around and began to leave the camp.

"You fought well." A deep meow brought her back to reality. She turned around to see her mentor, Stonedust. He huffed. "I suppose despite you causing no deaths yourself, you saved one of the kits and drove off a renowned warrior. I'll let Gullstar know that you are ready to be a warrior." He suddenly uncharacteristically smiled. Something about it was slightly terrifying, however. He didn't say anything else, he simply turned around and walked to his leader.

Undoubtedly, they were going to be grieving the loss of Doekit, Swallowheart, and Fishwhisker that night.

Moonpaw was exhausted however, and she felt as though she wasn't close enough to Swallowheart to sit vigil for him.

She turned back to the apprentice den, but bumped into Wasppaw, who looked as though he was in a panic. "Moonpaw, you got attacked! Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, it's just a scrat-"

"Let me look, it could get infected." Moonpaw froze as Wasppaw examined the scratch on her cheek directly below her eye. She gulped as his hot breath was directly on her skin, his gaze looked terrified, but concerned. He shook his head. "I'm going to treat that."

"Wasppaw, there's corpses that need to be prepared for vigil." Moonpaw pulled away, feeling her heart race for no apparent reason. She flicked her ear and looked away shyly. "A-And there are cats that need tending, like Gullstar or even Iceflank."

He opened his mouth to object, but Moonpaw knew he couldn't find a true reason to tend to her 'fatal' scratch over corpses and leaders. He huffed and leaped past her, and as his fur brushed against Moonpaw's skin, she felt a warm shiver make its way up her spine.

Why was this happening to her around Wasppaw? Why did she suddenly feel so warm and nervous around him unlike normal? She swallowed hard. Perhaps Moonpaw had a fever that needed to be tended to, yes, that must be it.

Moonpaw turned back to walk to the apprentice's den and attempt to sleep off the whirlwind of emotions going on inside of her heart and her brain.


	23. Polar Opposites and the Middleman

Chapter 23

She sat in the darkness, thinking about her father, but also thinking about Seedthorn's apparent madness. She suddenly realized that she was thinking about a lot of things and how her life had led up to this moment.

Fishwhisker died the previous night sitting vigil for the Clan. Wasppaw was to get his medicine cat name within the next quartermoon, Gullstar's lives were dropping steadily one by one like raindrops sinking into the soft earthen dirt. Bamboostep's soft voice beckoned to her in the darkness. She knew he wasn't her real father, but she knew he was acting enough like one.

She looked up to the moon, suddenly feeling a magnetic pull toward it. Something was calling to her. The moon perhaps? It barely held a glow that night, quiet, soft, and comforting.

She couldn't decide if she despised her warrior name or was grateful to Gullstar for giving her a name to remember her father for. His memories were leaking into her brain, just from staring at the claw scratch of a moon. She learned with due time with Littleheart was a weak kittypet that joined the Clan, a cherry-seal point. She was beautiful, and from time to time, she would feel her cream and ginger fur brush against her.

Then again, she was likely delusional. She never met Littleheart in her life, and Bamboostep never spoke of her. Only the insensitive clanmates would.

Stonedust's voice was hard to hear over the owls hoots and the dawn cicada's singing their songs. She turned around, her pale yellow eyes tired as could ever come. His tail was deathly still as were his eyes. The only thing signifying life in the cold tom was his subtle breathing, his fur traced by the faint dawn light.

"Moonbreeze, your vigil is over."

She yawned and stood up, already feeling a wave of exhaustion hit over her like a tidal wave. Moonbreeze tiredly faced her ex-mentor. He huffed, but as cats were beginning to wake up, he had to keep his mask on. He motioned to the warrior's den. "You may be a full-fledged warrior now, but as there are no apprentices as of now until Egrekit and his brother are apprenticed, you still take on apprentice duties such as cleaning nests and so on."

She mewed in response to affirm that she heard him. She approached the warrior's den but she bumped into a large golden figure. Moonbreeze blinked and looked up at Wasppaw who was carrying a bundle in his jaws. "Ah, Moonpa-, I mean, Moonbreeze. You have excellent timing." He seemed as though he was about to ask her something, but he shrugged. "You're exhausted, I'll take these herbs to Seedthorn myself." He smiled and seemingly swallowed back a purr. "I'm proud of you. You've been through a lot, Moonbreeze."

"It's not over yet…" she half-joked with a purr. "I still have to perform apprentice duties until Oakkit and his brother are old enough."

Wasppaw frowned. "I wonder if Doekit and Pheasantkit are doing okay in MortalClan…?" He blinked. "I would love to go check on them, but I have a feeling I wouldn't be well welcomed, considering that we're now at war."

She nodded and absentmindedly pressed against him and began to purr. "I'll see you after my nap."

Moonbreeze suddenly realized what she had just done. She was quick to pull back and then scamper to the warrior's den without another word.

She spotted Brookfrost speaking to Fruitpetal. They both turned heads to see Moonbreeze. The she-cats smiled and Brookfrost pointed to a fresh nest lined with feathers and soft-looking moss. "Softcloud prepared a nest for you before she had to go out on patrol."

"Thank her for me later." Moonbreeze purred as she flopped into the nest.

Fruitpetal groaned. "Ugh, I was exhausted after my vigil as well. It wasn't fair that MortalClan had to ruin it."

"You aren't upset about Fishwhisker?" Brookfrost meowed in surprise.

The second youngest warrior shook her head and stuck out her nose. She looked away, tears welling up in her eyes. "N...no."

 _She obviously does miss him... perhaps Fruitpetal wasn't as much of a brat as I originally thought…_ Moonbreeze thought to herself before fully drifting off to sleep.

* * *

A large, fat white tom carried a fish into an abandoned shrine far past the twolegplace. He flicked a ginger-brown ear and set the fish in front of a pure silver tabby ruffled she-cat. She looked up at him weakly and purred, her teal eyes growing dimmer by the heartbeat.

"Susumo…" she muttered quietly.

"Don't speak." He said with his gruff voice as he pressed close against her. "Eat."

She carefully took a bite of the fish. He couldn't help but stare at his beautiful mate. He was lucky to find her desperately looking for food in a dumpster so long ago. Even then, she was beautiful. Those eyes captured him, there was something strangely feral and dangerous about her, but he loved her regardless. He was lucky enough that she loved him back.

He began to purr comfortingly to his mate. "Misuto-chan…"

She coughed loudly and rubbed against his cheek. "Susumo, you really ought to stop worrying about me all the time. It's just a little sickness, nothing that the body won't heal on its own."

"But you're not strong enough to fight it." He objected. He stood up and stared down at her with desperate yellow eyes, even if his posture said otherwise. "If you'd like, I can enter the forest an-"

Misuto gently pressed her tail against his muzzle to interrupt his words. "The forest is too dangerous, we already spoke of that."

"I met them."

She looked surprised. "Did you, now?"

He nodded grimly. "I helped a forest cat get back home the other winter moon, but while guiding her home, there was a nasty run in with those cats. They held little to no interest for me. They just cared about the ginger keeping that poor silver kit locked up in the twolegplace." He clicked his tongue and looked away. "It's… not fair. You're so thin I can see past your bones, I'm fat enough to give the whole island a feast of my body."

"Cannabalism is not a thing in the forest, dear." She chuckled.

"No, but let me finish." He wished his tail was longer so he could lash it angrily. "And those cats… they seemed moderately fed. They were no extreme as we are here in the twolegplace. Perhaps they'd let us join them and let us eat."

"I came from there." Misuto mewed weakly. "Despite our food situation, I believe I'm happier here with you, not tied down by a code." Susumo felt his heart race as she stared up at him. "But I know that they'll be okay."

He flinched, he didn't want to hear the rest of her words, even if they were painfully true. "I'm going to find you more food."

"No…"

He turned around.

"Please…" she stared at him with pleading round eyes and quivering whiskers. "Please stay… with me."

Susumo hesitated. He turned back to the direction of the forest, despite seeing only city. He smelled it, it was far off, it was mysterious, and it was not for him. He sat back down and pressed close to his mate. He did have kits with her once, but they lost them all during a storm, Susumo was almost certain that they all died. He was sure he didn't want to see Misuto die as well just like those bundles of mewling fur. He watched them die, every last one of them.

"You're going to live." He promised as he wrapped his paw around her neck. "Misuto, I swear it."


	24. Listen to Your Heart

Author's Note: So, I may or may not have inserted my pet cat into the story as well! It's Carrot! She's a tortoiseshell molly that's really lanky and had green eyes. She's called Carrot because as a kitten, she would sit on my shoulder like a parrot. So I named her to be a cross between a parrot and a cat, a Carrot!

(There's going to be a chapter about the developing relationship between Soaringfeather and Acornbranch soon enough! Soaringfeather submitted by 0Zz0Zz0)

Chapter 24

"Apprentices! We're finally apprentices!" Happily squeaked Oakpaw as he bounced up and down with his brother. Egretpaw. Gullstar was simply smiling down at the kits with a warm and patient gaze.

Quietweed shook her head in dismay at her bouncing apprentice. "Oakpaw, you must settle down. You're an apprentice warrior now, you can't be acting like a kit anymore."

Moonbreeze tilted her head awkwardly. "W-Well, they just became apprentices. Perhaps let them revel in their joy a little bit?"

"You're awfully lenient." Her foster mother snorted coldly. She shrugged and turned to Brookfrost. She flicked her fluffy tail and approached the she-cat with Oakpaw following behind. It wasn't long before Sparrowfeather left the nursery to nuzzle her foster kits with warmth and joy heavily lacing her purrs.

Moonbreeze glanced at the medicine den to see Waspshade sitting there with his paws tightly sitting together, as though he was nervous. Moonbreeze had recently cut off contact with him ever since he got his full medicine cat name. She had to wonder, why did Gullstar choose such a name for him? She decided to finally break the ice after so long. She began to cautiously approach him and he began to noticeably fidget.

"H-Hi, Moonbreeze…" he muttered looking away.

She flicked back her ears. _He's acting so strange… he must hate me for being so quiet._

The she-cat simply smiled at him. "I think I got a thorn stuck in my paw from patrolling the MortalClan border the other day. You know how that cliff has so many thorns… especially in this Greenleaf heat."

Waspshade flicked his tail and stood up. He didn't say a word and guided her into his den. She sat down in the usual nest and curled her tail over his paws. He looked at her with a strange, honey colored gleam in his eyes. "There's no thorns by the MortalClan border."

"I know." She mewed as Moonbreeze got herself comfortable in the nest. "I just wanted to chat with you. We haven't really spoke like friends in moons." She twitched her whiskers, nervously awaiting his response.

The golden tom glanced back at her, the insides of his ears noticeably growing redder. "I understand. You've been busy being a warrior, and I've been busy being a medicine cat."

Moonbreeze wanted to object, but she knew it was correct. The war hasn't escalated since the kitnapping of Doekit, or likely Doepaw at this point. MortalClan has simply cut off communication entirely from HavenClan, reporting nothing to them about the kits, and not exchanging herbs of any kinds with the medicine cats. HavenClan was battle hungry and wanted blood for the death of their two warriors back in Newleaf, but MortalClan is shutting them out. Brindlestar may be old, but she was still a smart cat. She knew not to antagonize the hot headed cats across the border. It made Moonbreeze wonder when Gullstar is going to take action?

Waspshade sighed. "Seedthorn has not gotten any better. He's still screaming things about you, disturbing Softbranch and Rubbleflight. Even in his sleep, he's sometimes crying."

Moonbreeze felt awful for the old tom. He was only trying to protect his Clan, just in a discriminatory way that was bound to hurt not only Moonbreeze, but Waspshade as well. He shrugged again and sat down in the nest. "I've only been able to confide in Honeybee about… everything."

"Strange…" Moonbreeze muttered. "How Spottednose has been no longer making an effort to speak to me. Acornbranch either. They are avoiding me like the plague. Do you think…" she bolted up and widened her eyes in fear. "Do you think they've had the same vision as Seedthorn about me?"

Waspshade shook his head. "No, neither of them are medicine cats. Acornbranch has been in EarthClan much longer than he should as well. I wouldn't doubt if Boulderstar had extended his sentence. He is under their jurisdiction after all."

Moonbreeze stood up and couldn't stop herself from gently brushed her cheek against his forehead. He still smelled of sweet flowers and scents of the wild forest. There was a hint of bitterness as well. She felt his flesh grow warm, and he quickly pulled away. Moonbreeze flinched at the gesture. "Did… you have the vision?"

"No." Waspshade said flatly. He then gestured for her to leave the den, and Moonbreeze sadly did so. She left the den, her tail drooping low. That morning, Moonbreeze was assigned to go on the evening patrol with Softcloud and Iceflank.

Moonbreeze wanted to get out of camp and focus on one thing. She spotted Softcloud already sitting and sharing tongues with Iceflank. They both turned to Moonbreeze and proceeded to stand up. Iceflank pointed his tail toward the forest. "Alright, she's here. Let's head over to the EarthClan border."

It surprised Moonbreeze to hear EarthClan's name. The Clan was so heavily focused on MortalClan that she nearly completely forgotten that there was one more border to patrol. She scampered to catch up with the pale cats. They were walking through the bamboo forest and eventually to the normal deciduous trees. The sun was beginning to set, just a blip over the ocean's horizon.

Moonbreeze suddenly scented something. Her fur stood on end when she scented the earthy scent of dirt and blood approaching them. She froze and her patrol members noticed it.

"What is it?" Softcloud asked curiously.

Iceflank sniffed as well and his hackles was quick to raise. "EarthClan, they're patrolling as well."

"We're not attacking!"

The cats turned to the patrol heading down the rocky hill toward them, they didn't seem aggressive at all, they were just kind and curious. Moonbreeze didn't scent fear or anger, so she assumed they were safe. She was surprised to see Acornbranch and the infamous Carrotpaw in their patrol, but that was it.

"Hello, Carrotpaw, Acornbranch." Iceflank greeted them, his hackles lowering. "How have things in EarthClan been going?"

"I'm not Carrotpaw anymore." The lime-eyed tortoiseshell snapped. She stood tall, her lanky body showing itself off. Moonbreeze couldn't deny that she was beautiful. She continued speaking, "I'm Carrottail now."

Acornbranch rolled his eyes. He then smiled at Moonbreeze. "Hello, Moonbreeze."

"H-Hi…"

He shook his head. "No need to be worried. I've acquired a mate in EarthClan."

Softcloud's fur fluffed up defensively. Her tail spiked out and she stared wide-eyed at her brother. "Are you serious!? You're HavenClan!"

Acornbranch shook his head. "No, I'm EarthClan now. I have earned their respect over time."

"It took forever though…" Carrottail hissed quietly to herself.

"Who's your mate?" Moonbreeze asked curiously, even though she knew she would not recognize any name he would say.

"Soaringfeather." He said with an almost smug tone.

Iceflank blinked in shock. "Soaringfeather? The most tsundere cat on all of Aoshima? Are you serious? She's colder than Brookfrost."

"Don't speak badly of my sister like that!" Softcloud growled low.

Acornbranch smiled and his nose grew warm. "Yeah, she and I sort of hated each other with a fiery passion at first, but she grew on me I think. She's even expecting my kits."

Softcloud turned around. Her shoulders began to heave in sobs. "I… I'm heading back to camp. I can't… do this." Without another word, the white she-cat sprinted through the forest, not even looking back at her brother.

Iceflank sighed and rolled his eyes. "She'll get over it. Good to know that you've completely betrayed our Clan, Acornbranch. Come on, Moonbreeze. We've patrolled enough."

Iceflank began walking, and before Moonbreeze would join him, she glanced back at Acornbranch, who looked almost floored by his ex-Clanmates words. Moonbreeze carefully stepped up to the brown tom and said slowly, "Acornbranch… do you really love this cat?"

He nodded.

Moonbreeze smiled. "Then that's all that matters. Don't worry about what your ex-Clanmates think about you, just be sure to follow your heart."

"What about yours, Moonbreeze?"

She hesitated. The she-cat was frozen. "M… My heart?"

He nodded. "I know of the kit situation in HavenClan."

"Who doesn't?" Chimed in Carrottail with a shaking tail and a hiss.

Moonbreeze blushed and looked away. "It's… fine. I think Brookfrost is going to have Smokestorm's kits soon enough. Maybe Iceflank will get over himself and father some kits as well."

Acornbranch chuckled. "That's an optimistic way to look at it!" Then he tilted his head, the way he did when he first confessed to her with that tiny, comforting smile dancing on his muzzle, but it was different now. It was more of a friendly smile now. "Moonbreeze, follow your heart." The tom turned around and nodded at Carrottail. "Let's go."

She nodded and the cats began to climb back up the hill to their Clan. Moonbreeze stood still, wondering what her heart wanted. All her life, she was simply wondering what other cats wanted and trying to cater to him. All she's done was be an observer and take things from others without a second thought. She blinked and looked up at the star-filled sky. The moon was nearly full, and the strange calling sensation returned to her bones.

 _What I want…?_

Then it slammed Moonbreeze like a falling tree in a storm. With a sudden realization, Moonbreeze figured out that all she wanted to do in her life was give love and be loved in return.


	25. Stone Cold

Chapter 25

Moonbreeze yawned, feeling the cool breeze that was uncharacteristic of greenleaf. She quite enjoyed windy days such as these, the heat from the pulsating sun was beginning to grow quite unbearable. Most cats opted to lounge in the shade of bamboo stalks surrounding the camp.

Waspshade was panting, even in the cool shade from the inside of his den. Moonbreeze felt bad for him, especially considering his thick golden fur. She stepped close to him, standing just outside of the den. "How are you holding up in this heat?" She asked politely.

"Quite literally dying." Waspshade growled. His patience was nearly completely gone. Moonbreeze couldn't blame him. The insanity of his mentor, prophetic dreams constantly bombarding him, reading omens from StarClan, and worst of all, being forced to sit in the heat of greenleaf.

"Well, I'm due to go on the sunhigh patrol. Would you like me to get you some water from the forest pond?"

"If it's not dried up." He muttered, eyes half-closed.

Moonbreeze purred in amusement. "I'll take that as a yes." She turned around to see Stonedust standing at the entrance of the camp with Softcloud and Smokestorm ready to patrol. Likely a hunting patrol, despite nobody wanting to eat in such hot weather.

He looked up at her with his honey-colored eyes glinting like gold in the pale sunlight. He gave a weak smile and shut them again, likely to attempt to sleep.

Moonbreeze turned around and trotted to the waiting patrol.

Smokestorm was panting from his thick, fluffy black fur absorbing all of the heat. Softcloud chuckled sympathetically at the tom.

Stonedust pointed his tail toward the forest. "We're going to be patrolling and hunting in two seperate patrols. Smokestorm and Softcloud, you two should try the hunting near the Starstones. Moonbreeze and I are going to be patrolling the MortalClan border."

"Sounds good." agreed Smokestorm, still panting. "Meet back here at sunset?"

"Yes." Stonedust meowed curtly. "Let's split up."

The cats left the camp and Moonbreeze found herself walking with Stonedust on her own. Her heart was pounding in fear of what he was planning to do. Was he going to ream her out for being a pathetic excuse for a warrior? Would her tell her that her only salvation of being a cat was to head in to the nursery?

Her second guess wasn't too far off.

Stonedust gave a smirk before he stopped walking altogether. Moonbreeze sensed this and stopped as well, but didn't turn around to see him. "Why did we stop?" She quietly asked.

She scented a heavy and salty scent coming from him. She realized with a spike of fear what he was going to try and do. Moonbreeze felt the stare he held into the back of her skull, sinking into her like ice-cold claws.

"Remember what I said when we were training once? That you'd only be useful as a queen forever bearing litters for her Clan?"

Moonbreeze stood terrifyingly still. With a sick notion, she had a feeling she knew where this was going. She swallowed hard and slowly nodded. With that nod, she suddenly felt a heavy weight on her back and a sharp pain in the back of her neck. Moonbreeze screamed to attempt to get some help. She felt him attempt to position his hindquarters on top of her, but she she-cat continued to thrash around and try to throw him off.

"Don't bother screaming," he mewed quietly in her ear with a thick and heavy breath, "no one is going to hear you. I brought us to a secluded and remote place." He clenched down harder onto her scruff, causing blood to drip. Moonbreeze screamed again in pain, wondering when it was going to happen. Was this how kits were made? Was this what she was curiously asking herself for the past several moons?

"Please…" she whimpered quietly, "let me go…"

"The only use you have lies in being a queen." He hissed, ringing in her ears. "You _will_ be my mate, and you _will_ bear my kits."

"I don't want to!" She screamed, her throat beginning to grow sore.

"Oh? Then who else in the Clan is going to be your mate? Iceflank is too old, and Smokestorm has his heart set on Brookfrost. And Waspshade?" he laughed and pinned her down with an incredible strength, "He's a medicine cat! He can't have a mate!"

Moonbreeze felt tears spilling out of her eyes, "Y-You're Gullstar's brother!" She gasped painfully, feeling the blood continue to drip down her neck. "She's already a grandmother! You're just as old as her!"

"I'm her younger brother from another litter, idiot." He growled as he bit her neck once more, causing one more yowl. "Now stay still and make this easy for me, _darling._ "

She prayed to StarClan that help would come, or at least it would be over soon. Moonbreeze stopped struggling, and she felt him situate himself on top of her. It was about to begin when the weight was lifted.

Moonbreeze gasped and turned around to see a giant, golden tabby tom fighting Stonedust. She was quick to shrink back and watch the fight unfold. The golden tom twisted and turned to bite toward Stonedust's throat, and he succeeded.

Stonedust yowled and thrashed about as the golden tom bit down harder, causing Stonedust's breathing to become ragged and panicky. He got slower over time, the golden cat's eyes blazed in fury, and Moonbreeze scented HavenClan on him. It took her a moment in her adrenaline clouded mind that this tom was Waspshade.

Then Stonedust stopped breathing entirely. Blood was beginning to pool out of his throat and around him on the greenleaf grass, staining it from green to a deep and bloody crimson. Waspshade backed off, panting. He glanced up at Moonbreeze, who was obviously terrified.

"Moonbreeze…"

"You _killed_ him!" She screamed in terror. "You just murdered the deputy!"

Waspshade's golden eyes widened and his paws began to shiver in a realization of what he has done. The sun was barely hanging over the horizon, the bloody colors of sunset starting to bathe Waspshade's fur.

"Why…" she asked quietly, the initial shock of murder fading away, "Why are you out here?"

"You were taking a long time to fetch that water," he admitted, "So I went to do it myself. I caught your scent with Stonedust and I knew that something was wrong. So I followed it and found him trying… to…" he flinched away. "I just… murdered him." He suddenly straightened himself. "But… I think he deserved it."

"Y-Yeah…" she swallowed hard. "H-He did…"

"We have to cover this up." Waspshade whispered. He blinked as he began to think. Moonbreeze stared at him, still in shock from the whole ordeal. Finally, the medicine cat said, "What if… MortalClan did this?"

"M-MortalClan?"

"Y-Yeah…" he paced around Stonedust's body. He suddenly sat down. "We are at war with them… if we can blame it on them…" he traced his paw in the grass, the soft breeze blowing unsettlingly. The once hot sun now felt cold.

Moonbreeze stared at Stonedust and then suddenly felt a surge of resentment. He didn't even deserve a proper burial. The only cats who knew of Stonedust's true nature was her, Waspshade, and Iceflank. By them, they would not be missed. She slowly nodded. "Let's do it." With a strong resolve, she bit down into his scruff and began to drag him with Waspshade helping her. The cats dragged him closer to the border.

"We need to cover him in MortalClan scent, otherwise they'll be able to scent us." Waspshade pointed out. "Wait here while I go grab something from their side."

Moonbreeze did as told and sat there, quietly panicking. She was worried they'd be caught while performing their disposal.

Waspshade came back quickly with weeds and mushrooms in his jaws. He began to rub the plants on Stonedust, not taking much for him to smell like MortalClan was all over him.

He panted and set down the plants. "I'll dispose these off the cliff. You go back to camp. Act shocked and tell them what happened."

"What do I say?"

"Say that a patrol attacked and killed Stonedust."

Moonbreeze wanted to hurl her guts out at the idea of lying, but if it meant covering up their crime, then it was something they had to do. She nodded and began to sprint back to camp. She was exhausted by the time she came back. Cats in the camp looked at her funny.

"Moonbreeze? Where's Stonedust?" Iceflank asked curiously.

"He's…" she swallowed hard and attempted to choke out words as though she was having a hard time saying it, "Stonedust was killed! He's dead!"

"Dead!?" Gullstar screeched. She bounded over to the warrior, blue eyes wide in terror. "What happened? Where is he?"

"MortalClan…" Moonbreeze muttered.

"Why aren't you hurt?" Brookfrost asked, sitting from the edge of the nursery.

Moonbreeze swallowed again and laid back her ears. "I… he told me to leave before the patrol could get me as well… but I watched from the bushes. I watched them… I watched them _murder_ Stonedust before my very eyes. He fought till the very end though… like…" she wanted to throw up at saying kind things about the most disgusting tom she has ever had the displeasure of meeting in her entire life, "like a true warrior."

"Moonbreeze, you have suffered enough." Gullstar mewed sympathetically. "I'm going to take a patrol to the border and find his body." She narrowed her eyes. "MortalClan is going to pay with their lives for killing my brother." She stood tall. "Iceflank, Minnowfin, let's go."

As Moonbreeze watched them go through the entrance, she stood still, shaking. Other cats began to approach her, telling her their condolences. It wasn't much longer until Waspshade entered the camp smelling of brine as though he was at the cliffs, but everyone was in too much of a panic to say anything to him.

Moonbreeze and Waspshade simply exchanged a look that concluded the crime they have committed. Barely out of apprenticeship and they were already murderers.


	26. Messy Meeting

**Author's Note: Regarding the previous chapter with Stonedust's...** _ **encounter**_ **... I am going to say he did NOT succeed with properly inseminating Moonbreeze. She was struggling too much, and just when she finally gave up and was about to let him have his way, Waspshade came in. So Stonedust did not succeed in making Moonbreeze his mate. That is all I have to say. (He didn't even** _ **enter**_ **considering how much she was struggling! So little Moonbreeze is still a cat virgin, hooray~)**

 **Chapter 26**

Predictably, HavenClan was furious about Stonedust's death. Moonbreeze stayed close to Iceflank on the way there. He was the new deputy, and Moonbreeze was glad of this choice of Gullstar's. Sure, he was a little old and snarky, but he was overall clever and intelligent.

Moonbreeze sat near the back of her Clan by the time they got to the gathering. Waspshade was near the front talking to the other medicine cats. Iceflank turned back to Moonbreeze. "I have to sit up front with Gullstar and the other deputies. You're on your own, kit."

She was quick to scrunch up her nose at the mention of still being a kit, despite being a full grown warrior. She sunk herself into the HavenClan crowd, not caring about the fear scent clinging to everyone's pelts. They were likely wondering who was going to be next to die.

Barely able to see above everyone's heads in the crowd, she spotted Briarstrike sitting next to Iceflank and Weaseltalon. Moonbreeze nearly hissed her throat out upon seeing that brown tom sitting next to Brindlestar like an entitled twoleg. After having the whole of MortalClan find out about his affair with Oakwish, he was still next in line to become deputy. The thought made Moonbreeze sick.

Gullstar was first to speak. "Brindlestar, one of your cats murdered my deputy, not to mention my brother as well. If you have something to say, or if any of your cats have anything to say, say it now."

Brindlestar's fur bristled. She looked mildly scary, even in her weak and fragile form. She was an old cat, and it showed in her yellowed teeth glinting like gold in the moonlight. They looked ready to tear right through flesh. "The only cats that my Clan have murdered in the past moon are your pathetic excuse for warriors as we sent that raid to retrieve our rightful kits! No one else has been killed, and even if we did, they died rightfully so for being bamboo-brains!"

HavenClan gasped and growls erupted. MortalClan began spitting hatefully.

Boulderstar stood up tall, towering over both the leaders. "We are not to fight on the night of the full moon." He said firmly. "The gathering is a time of peace."

"Peace is trivial compared to the death of my little brother!" Hissed Gullstar, her long claws scraping against the stump she stood on. The leader glared at all of MortalClan with a fixated and calculating gaze. "Whoever has done this crime of killing Stonedust in cold blood, you will now step up and pay for your crime."

"You can't be serious…" muttered Boulderstar.

Brindlestar slashed her forepaw toward the black and white leader, but Gullstar was quick to sidestep. She narrowed her eyes into chips of ice. "Deliver the monster and this war will be over."

"What war?" Shouted a cat from the crowd.

"Yeah!" Cried another, "All that's been happening are border skirmishes every time a patrol meets up!"

"And it's wasting your precious herbs, aren't they?" Gullstar chuckled grimly.

Moonbreeze shrunk back. This was not the leader she had grown to love. Something was wrong with Gullstar, and she wasn't sure what.

Cranestorm from the medicine cat group snorted, but did not object. It seemed as though HavenClan's leader was correct in the matter of herbs.

Brindlestar hunched low, but her eyes caught in the light, making them look shadowed and threatening. "We have no killer to give you and that is final. MortalClan, we're leaving."

She jumped down from the tree stump, having to lean against Briarstrike to not fall over. As the Clan began to leave, Moonbreeze caught the sound of familiar, high pitched voices. She wove her way through the crowd and spotted a quartet of siblings talking to each other. Egretpaw, Oakpaw, and presumably their now apprentice sisters.

Pheasantpaw smiled at her brothers, "We're all apprentices now! Together at last!"

Doepaw shyly nodded.

Oakpaw looked away, not wanting to talk to his sisters, while Egretpaw continued to speak. "We still promise not to fight one another, right?"

"But with the whole war situation…" Doepaw muttered quietly, her brown pelt ruffled up worriedly. "I don't think think we won't be able to... Not…"

"Don't be silly." Egretpaw said optimistically with a smile. "We just avoid each other on the battlefield, that's all!"

"I don't want to meet up anymore!" Snapped Doepaw with tears dotting her eyes, "I'm loyal to MortalClan! I don't care who calls us murderers! I-I'm going home!" Then she turned around and darted off to catch up with her leaving clanmates.

Pheasantpaw sighed at her sister and shrugged. "She's been fiercely loyal lately. She wants to prove that despite being half-Clan, she's truly a MortalClan cat."

Oakpaw lowered his gaze. Egretpaw tilted his head and meowed, "But we were all born in HavenClan,"

"There's nothing left for her in HavenClan." Pheasantpaw tried to correct. She glanced back over her shoulder, twitching her tail. "That's what she's saying anyway. She's the one who witnessed Swallowheart…"

"Y-Yeah…" Egretpaw swallowed hard. He weakly smiled at her again. "B-But at least… at least…" his words faltered, and Moonbreeze felt a pang in her heart for the apprentices. She knew how Doepaw felt. After Bamboostep died, everything began to fall apart and there was virtually nothing left for her in HavenClan. At least these young cats had another Clan to run to.

"I'm heading home." Pheasantpaw mewed quietly. She nuzzled Oakpaw and Egretpaw and then quickly pulled away. "See you guys on the next full moon."

"Bye, Pheasantpaw." Egretpaw sighed as she walked away. He motioned to his brother that it was time for them to head home as well. Moonbreeze was quick to slip away to join HavenClan. EarthClan as well was quick to unfortunately split up and head back to their rocky overlook.

Moonbreeze patterned her paws ahead and caught up with her Clan, feeling unfortunate and displeasing emotions wash over her. She spotted Waspshade unfortunately dragging his tail as he walked, clearly upset that their actions furthered the war.

* * *

"Mi… Misuto…" Susumo pressed his paw harder against the flank of his mate. He felt tears spill out. She was cold. Misuto wasn't moving. His chin began to quiver and he lowered his head. "No! I was only gone… for half a day… I was getting you food…" the tom pressed his pink nose into the soft, silvery fur of Misuto.

"No!" He yowled again. "Please… no… don't do this to me…" he felt his breathing begin to grow ragged from so much crying. He sniffed and pressed closer to her. "Wake up… Mistwing… please wake up…"


	27. A Thorn's Shadow

Chapter 27

Moonbreeze had just come back to the camp from the evening patrol. The chill of leaf-fall was fast approaching, and on her walk she already say several leaves scattered across the ground in varying colors.

"How was the patrol?" Brookfrost, sitting at the edge of the nursery asked with a giant and buldging stomach. Moonbreeze knew that she queen just wanted to know how it felt to patrol again. Brookfrost was always a dedicated warrior, if not blunt and occasionally rude.

Moonbreeze smiled sheepishly. "Leaves scattering the forest. I honestly went to EarthClan's border to avoid trouble."

Brookfrost flicked her ear. "Stupid Smokestorm won't stop fussing. I ask about patrol and he's all, 'oh yeah, it was great, but are you comfortable?' It's so frustrating and annoying!"

Sparrowfeather poked out with her three she-kits bouncing around the ornery gray tabby with flicking tails and mewling to play mossball or bamboo-stick. Brookfrost hissed at them to go away, and it didn't take long for the tiny kits to run off trying to find the apprentices.

"So annoying!" Growled Brookfrost.

"That's what you are getting yourself into." Purred the often out-of-commission queen, Eveningfern. She sat down outside the den and licked her paw across her ear.

Sparrowfeather nodded. "Hopefully it's not nearly as many kits as I have to deal with, and they're all mollies! Sparklekit is likely the most rambunctious of them all."

"She's always the ringleader of Brightkit and Stripedkit!" Brookfrost hissed. She straightened herself and drew a paw over her ear. "My kits will be much more behaved than yours. Smokestorm and I will discipline them well."

Moonbreeze suddenly felt a little out of the loop, considering she's never had any kits of her own. "Kits will be kits." Moonbreeze tried to add.

"That's very true." Meowed Eveningfern wisely. She turned back to the expecting queen. "Have you thought of names yet?"

"I know that I'm going to name one after my grandmother." Brookfrost said confidently. "And another after Stonedust."

Moonbreeze's breath hitched in her throat. She stood up quickly, scrambling to her paws. "N-No!" She meowed quickly. "You should come up with original names!"

"But Stonedust is an honorable cat." Brookfrost said confusedly. "Would it really be a crime to name one after him?"

"I-I don't want to… I mean, I'm busy. I'm quite hungry, been a long day, you know? Bye." Moonbreeze turned around and immediately rushed away from the confused queens and sat near the fresh-kill pile, but not eating as she had lied to them about. She wasn't hungry in the slightest, and even less so because of the sick idea of Brookfrost naming one of her kits after _him._

She felt a pull back into reality when Egretpaw bumped against her to get to the fresh-kill pile. He was quick to dive for a squirrel and purred as blood rushed down his chin. "Delicious! Oh, sorry for bumping into you, Moonbreeze."

She shrugged when Oakpaw walked by as well. He politely reached for a pigeon and began to chew on it.

"So glad to get that taste of weasel-bile out of my mouth!" Egretpaw spat.

Oakpaw nodded at his brother. "Seedthorn was so fussy too."

 _Seedthorn!_

Moonbreeze picked up her ears and felt the piercing and innocent gaze of Egretpaw as he looked up at her. "He was talking a lot about you, Moonbreeze."

"Was he…?" Moonbreeze murmured.

"Mhm." Egretpaw swallowed his last bit and wiped his whiskers. "He was saying some pretty mean things. Like you're a kittypet, a killer, dogmeat, twoleg filth…"

Oakpaw was quick to shush his bold brother. He glanced back at the silver and white she-cat nervously. "He's just old. Rubbleflight and Softbranch were a lot nicer. We already reported him to Waspshade. I hope he can do something about him…."

Moonbreeze swallowed hard and shuffled her paws. "I-I hope so, too…"

"You were asleep as well when-" Egretpaw finished cleaning his ear. "When Gullstar was sitting outside with Iceflank discussing the apprenticeship of Sparrowfeather's kits. She mentioned you as a candidate and I guess Seedthorn overheard or something…" he shrugged and stood back up to begin stretching his paws. "He was screaming that she shouldn't do that above all things and she should just kill you-"

"Banish you." Oakpaw corrected coldly. "Banish. Not kill."

"But I was certain-" Oakpaw slapped his fluffy brown tail over Egretpaw's mouth and the gray tom was quick to shut up. Moonbreeze didn't want to stay to listen. She stood up and whirled around to walk to the medicine den, her head held low.

"Waspshade." she mewed.

The golden tom turned around. His eyes held a great sadness to them. "I'm sorry, Moonbreeze."

She suddenly found herself trying to hide in his thick, long, golden fur. Trying to hide away from the world and trying to hide from her insecurities. She drew a long and ragged breath, already crying. "Waspshade, what was Seedthorn saying?"

He wrapped his paw around the she-cat's white and pale silver body. He looked at her with a firm gaze. "Seedthorn said that he plans to kill you. And that no matter what I told him, he was going to do it." He raised his chin. "I was just now planning on how to smuggle you out of here."

"W-What?"

"It's too dangerous for you here right now. While you're gone, I'm going to do one of two things."

She sniffed again and blinked up at him with large and harvest-moon colored eyes. "What things?"

"That's none of your concern. Tonight, we're leaving. Do you still remember the layout of the twolegplace?"

She nodded shakily.

"Good. Every full and half moon, I want you to meet me at the Starstones. At half moon, you have to wait for them to all fall asleep so I can talk to you one-on-one. For full moon, I'll be coming up with excuses for not attending the gatherings. I'm taking you there tonight."

"T-Tonight?"

Waspshade backed away and flicked his tail toward a large pack of herbs that he has already set up. "Eat those travelling herbs. The leaf as well."

On top of the large leaf were several small pale seeds. Moonbreeze didn't object, and the adrenaline in her body was too frantic to bother tasting the bitterness of the herbs. She sat back up and wiped her whiskers.

"You came in at a good time," he meowed, "I was just about to call for you." He glanced outside, Moonbreeze following his gaze to see the sky already darkening. "We are going to wait until they've all fallen asleep, then I'll be taking you there. Until then…" He laid back down and pulled Moonbreeze deep into his warm chest fur. She felt her eartips and nose grow hot, but she didn't object or complain.

The she-cat closed her eyes, cuddling close to her most favorite medicine cat in the world. His fur tickled her nose, but she didn't mind. Her heart beat faster, and thoughts flashed in her mind. Waspshade was doing this for her, he was taking her away from here to try and help her. With her in the way, Seedthorn would only scream and yell. Moonbreeze didn't fully understand the situation, but she trusted Waspshade.

"Thank you…" she murmured, nuzzling him deeper.

He nodded wordlessly, his breath stirring the flesh in her ears. Her heart was beginning to feel relaxed.


	28. The Ocean Fog Parts

Waspshade blinked as he looked at Moonbreeze who was sleeping peacefully. He gave a small, but reluctant smile. He didn't want to give her up. He also needed to talk to Gullstar, but he still needed to keep watch for Moonbreeze.

Then the shadow appeared. "Seedthorn." Waspshade said quietly, instinctively wrapping his large and fluffy golden tail.

"Waspshade." He growled coldly. "Step aside, I don't want to hurt you."

"What do you know? Why do you want to do this to her?" Waspshade stood up, finding his hackles raising high, bristling with anger. "As your apprentice, I believe she and I both deserve the right to know why you are so insistent on killing her?"

"Oceanstar," Seedthorn said grimly while lowering his head. "He said that all the misfortune we are experiencing is because of her cursed existence. Oh, I had another talk with him just recently." His pale, and tired green eyes slitted in the moonlight, glinting threateningly. His yellowed teeth shining with the blood of fresh-kill, but likely to be another cat's soon enough. "Oceanstar's mate ran away for a _kittypet_ long ago. Moonbreeze is supposed to be his daughter, not the squirming and sinful relationship of a medicine cat and a kittypet."

"Right there, exactly!" Waspshade said, attempting to stay calm. "A medicine cat, he forced his own medicine cat to become his mate otherwise the whole Clan will be slaughtered. Oceanstar was insane, there is no good way to spin his words. Have you ever considered that mabye his mate ran away just to get away from him?"

Seedthorn blinked and looked down at the peacefully sleeping Moonbreeze. He glanced back up at Waspshade. "If Moonbreeze is that she-cat's kit, then that still makes her a stinking kittypet."

"What if she's Oceanstar's daughter?"

Seedthorn growled and looked away. Then his ears perked. Waspshade watched in confusion as he whirled around his hackles raised as he stared at the darkness of the night. After a while of listening, "What!? You never told me that Mistwing escaped with…" He shook his in disbelief, "That… but…" he looked away angrily. "No! You lied to me! Leave, now!"

He swiped feverishly at the darkness and Waspshade had to pull him back, his mentor spitting and hissing. After a moment, the old mentor was panting for breath and collapsed into the grass just outside the medicine den.

"Not fair… Not fair…"

"What happened? Was it a vision?" Waspshade meowed.

"He… this misfortune is our own fault. Moonbreeze has nothing to do with it. If… if anything… it was the death of gentle Littleheart." He looked up at the sky, the moon almost at half. "Moonbreeze was never the daughter of a kittypet, she was Clanborn, through and through." He turned to face his apprentice, eyes pouring with tears of regret. "She's Oceanstar's daughter, the reason that he wanted her dead… was simply because she was Mistwing's daughter, and he despised that."

He weakly brought himself up. "Seedthorn, don't strain yourself…"

"He was killed by his own Clanmates almost immediately after Mistwing ran away…" he muttered with still-wide eyes. "Then the old Brindlestripe took his place as the new leader. She was already old…"

"That night!" Waspshade meowed with realization. "Rubbleflight and Eveningfern told me of the MortalClan revolution the night that Moonbreeze was found as a kit. It had to be more than a coincidence, I thought so!"

"Me as well." Seedthorn coughed as he continued to pad his way through the den. He glanced back at Waspshade with apologetic eyes. "About a quartermoon before she was found, Littleheart died. But how strange it was that Bamboostep had a heart condition as well. That's quite the coincidence and I don't believe it."

"That would be a strange coincidence."

"There's still a lot I don't understand…" He blinked and shut his eyes shut, tears were still streaming. He looked so old, scared, and tired. "He doesn't belong in StarClan. Why did he get let in? How are all the other cats so blind?" Seedthorn stopped in front of the doku berries, looking down at them with a strange contentedness. "I have to do this."

"W-What? No!" Waspshade immediately smashed the berries into a red smear onto the den floor. He was now crying. "Seedthorn, no…"

He smiled weakly. "Moonbreeze is Clanborn. Please tell her I'm sorry."

Then with a strength unknown to Waspshade, Seedthorn sprinted off into the forest. Waspshade gasped in surprise and was about to leave, but he glanced at Moonbreeze, who was just now beginning to stir awake. "Moonbreeze," he said while shaking her shoulder, "Seedthorn ran off! I'm not sure what he's going to do!"

Moonbreeze gasped. "No! We have to stop him!"

Waspshade and the she-cat both rushed out and followed his aching and old elder scent. They were shocked to find he didn't get far, he was found digging a hole in the ground. Moonbreeze tilted her head, she looked as though wondering what and why he'd be digging a hole. Waspshade didn't blame her, he honestly assumed that he would be found jumping off the cliff.

Seedthorn didn't turn around when he said, "Don't mind me, I'm just making the elder's job a bit easier."

Waspshade held his breath. "So they'll find you?"

"I found a lump in my stomach. I've seen it before, and when any patient gets it, they will die, no matter what happens."

"What!? How come you never told me?"

He laughed weakly and unconcerning. "I was a stubborn old man who hated you at the time. Now it's too late." Seedthorn smiled down at the grave. "I'm going to die tonight, that's why I wanted to do while I still had time but…" he shook his head. "Moonbreeze is innocent."

"Innocent? Why the sudden change of heart?" The tabby asked confusedly.

"Oceanstar lied to me." He yawned and turned around. "I'm going back to my nest to rest until my time comes."

And back to the camp went Seedthorn, leaving Moonbreeze and Waspshade sitting in the darkness, staring at a hole. Moonbreeze blinked. "Innocent… what did he mean by that?"

He sighed. "Do you know about Oceanstar?"

She shook her head. "If anyone told me, I must have forgotten, please tell me."

Waspshade took a deep breath. "Well, he forced a medicine cat to become his mate and he frequently murdered cats who disagreed with his ideals. He was horrible, he's apparently the entity that's been haunting Seedthorn and had been telling him that you're bad luck and that you need to die."

She nodded shakily, already afraid of this tom and rightfully so.

"You're… his daughter."

Author's Note: In case any of this is too confusing, I'll explain it. Oceanstar fell in lust for his medicine cat in MortalClan, Mistwing. He said that she had to become his mate otherwise he'll slaughter her family, parents and siblings. The stories have been exaggerated from telling to telling and eventually turned into "kill all the Clan" which is not true. Anyway, Mistwing had to give up her medicine cat duties and bear his kits. She had several of his litters, and the last one had Moonkit. (It's unknown what she actually named Moonkit, or even named her at all.) The rest of the kits were weak and died in birth, Moonkit being the last survivor. Mistwing is fed up with Oceanstar's abuse and recklessness. There was eventually an uprising against Oceanstar and Mistwing found this to be the perfect oppertunity to run away. But Mistwing decided that the twolegplace would be no place for her daughter, so she cut down a bamboo stalk in HavenClan's territory and put Moonkit in there and then left. Oceanstar was killed in the riot, and Brindlestripe became leader. However, because she was already elder age, she became elder age as she gained her nine lives. The reason she was an old deputy was because despite her insistence to join the elders, Oceanstar refused to let her go there. Mistwing went to the twolegplace and went by the name Misuto instead. She met Susumo, fell in love, and had his kits, but they all died of illnesses in the twolegplace. Of course, she got sick herself over time and despite Susumo's best treatments of her, Misuto died.

But what does Littleheart have to do with all this? Find out soon enough in the next few chapters.


	29. Silver Heart

Moonbreeze has been pacing relentlessly about this revelation. The evil Oceanstar who had everything in his paws and had likely murdered frequently, was her father. Moonbreeze wanted to cough on such a revelation, and knew that being the daughter of such a horrible cat was much worse than being a kittypet.

Waspshade and Moonbreeze both knew that if word got out about the truth, then she would be kicked out of the Clan in a heartbeat, and Moonbreeze couldn't do that. But her mother being a medicine cat explained her aptitude for the medicine cat life and herbs, not to mention small stature.

Moonbreeze sat next to Waspshade as the leaf-fall breeze gently brushed past their whiskers. She shuddered and meowed quietly, "I wonder if I look like him."

Waspshade stiffened. "No," he said firmly. "You are not Oceanstar nor Mistwing, you never even knew either of them. Just because you found this out about you does not mean at all you are anything like them."

"What if I decide to run away, though? What if we went through with that plan?"

Waspshade looked down at her, opening his mouth, but closing it. After several heartbeats, he said sadly, "I don't know."

"I would have been like Mistwing!"

"She had no choice in the matter. Or so it seems." Waspshade stood up and lashed his tail, he was looking around; anywhere but at Moonbreeze. "I still want to know what Littleheart had to do with all of this."

Moonbreeze blinked and glanced at the elder's den, seeing just Rubbleflight and Softbranch. There was no Seedthorn. The funeral was held for him a moon ago, and now the camp felt a lot more quiet. She understood his reasons for what he was doing. He was just trying to protect his Clan from what he thought was an inside threat, and he was right. She was a genocidal maniac's daughter.

Moonbreeze nervously licked her chest fur. "I have to know. Seedthorn said that she died not long before the revolution of MortalClan. It was said that she had a heart disease but…" she blinked, her mind in a quiet whirlwind. "Kittypets are well cared for. I doubt that she and Bamboostep had the same heart problems."

"The problem is that neither of us were alive at the time to truly unmask this."

She nodded when suddenly a cat scenting of sea salt burst through the camp. She couldn't recognize them, but she knew that they were certainly MortalClan.

Sparrowfeather stalked toward the cat with darkened eyes. "What are you doing here? Come here to steal more kits?"

"No!" Said the cat rushedly, shaking his head. "It's Brindlestar, she's died. Briarstrike is going to the Starstrones to recieve his nine lives."

Gullstar approached the cat, gently nudging aside the bristling Sparrowfeather. Gullstar stood tall above the shivering warrior. "How is this possible? Brindlestar still had many of her lives left."

"Yes, but…" he swallowed hard. "Brindlestar fell asleep and she wouldn't wake up. Cranestorm thinks that she was too old, and that her old age took all of her lives, incurable by StarClan."

Gullstar dipped her head. "I see. Tell Briarstrike I wish him the best of luck on his nine lives ceremony."

"Y-Yes, Gullstar." The tom jumped back into the forest, obviously eager to get out of the hostile camp of HavenClan.

Oakpaw's ears perked. "Does that mean the war is over?"

Gullstar shook her head. "I doubt it. That whole war started because of that stupid mouse-brain. I'd second out warriors to fight him, but this doesn't have to be solved with bloodshed. Iceflank and I shall speak about this when he returns from the sunhigh patrol."

Moonbreeze shuddered. "No… Briarstrike as leader? Why?"

"Because Brindlestar chose him as deputy." Waspshade was snarling darkly. Moonbreeze noticed that his claws had sunken into the ground. "This is fox-dung. I hope StarClan rejects him. Any other warrior would be a better leader."

Moonbreeze looked out back to the Clan, now chattering excitedly in the light of the setting sun. Her breath hitched when Iceflank came back with Smokestorm. Gullstar was quick to pull him away into her den. She was growing worried about the situation, and prayed to StarClan that everything will turn out okay.

Waspshade stood up and stretched his claws. "I need to stock up on herbs. Care to help me, Moonbreeze?"

She nodded and the two began to make their way out of the camp and into the forest. They were silent, uncharacteristically so. But Moonbreeze did enjoy the time she was spending with him. Slowly as they walked, she pressed her shoulder against his. She realized she couldn't fight these feelings any longer from Waspshade.

"Waspshade, I…" she turned to him, but was shut silent by those sharp honey golden eyes. She swallowed and changed her mind. "Wh-What herbs do we need?"

"You wouldn't know them. I'll let you know what they are when we approach them."

She swallowed when she suddenly realized this was the same spot that Stonedust died at. She blinked. "Do you think anyone will find out what we've done?"

"Perhaps." Waspshade said in a strangely calm voice. "Someone has to bother cooling their head off before logically thinking about it first. Everyone's temper has been hot lately."

"Waspshade…!" She found herself blurting out. She stopped still as he stood at the other end of the clearing. He tilted his head confusingly. Moonbreeze realized this is a chance like no other. "W-Waspshade… you've helped me a lot. And youv'e been a wonderful friend to me."

She blinked curiously and sat down. He was quiet, urging her to go on.

"You've… you've always warned me about cats that might vye for my attention, and I've sort of realized that there's one cat you've uh… oh my StarClan, this is turning out horribly." With her heart in her throat, she swallowed, shut her eyes, and spat it out, "I like you, Waspshade! I really, really like you! Much more than a friend, a-and I know it's really impossible for us to be together, b-but I just wanted you to know! If you don't reciprocate those feelings, that's completely fine! And… A-And I know no one should ever love a monstrosity like me but-"

She was enveloped in warm, golden fur. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Waspshade staring down at her with warmth unknown to her, ears bright red. "I… I actually feel the same. I… I mean, you've made me regret being a medicine cat. If it means being with you… I-I'd gladly give up medicine cat duties! I-I can try to get an apprentice as soon as possible and-"

"You and I have already accepted this can't be." Moonbreeze whispered. She pressed against him again, taking in his oddly honey scent. She loved how it changed every day depending on the plants he touched. "I just really wanted to let you know."

He furrowed his brow. "And I want you to know that I am willing to do anything for you."

"W-Waspshade…"

"I'm a tom, the repercussions shouldn't be as bad having kits."

Moonbreeze snorted. "That's rather unfair of you to say."

He chuckled. "Sorry... "

She pressed into him. "Let's try to keep this up, if that's what you really want." She blinked and looked away. "B-But mating can wait. I… I'm not ready."

Waspshade's ears grew even hotter. "R-Right! I understand!" He chuckled and turned around, "Let's head back to camp. There seems to be nothing out here at the moment."

Moonbreeze gasped and found herself pressing against him again. "N-Not yet…" she swallowed and began to bind her tail with him, twining into harmony. "I want to stay here like this, just for a bit."

He grinned and laid down, Moonbreeze following. "I agree."


End file.
